


The War Within

by FireThatFox



Category: Naruto
Genre: Confused Tobirama, F/M, Ghost Madara, Happy Hashi, Inquisitive Sakura, Jutsu, Modern AU, Not Canon!, Post shinobi world, Protective Madara, Sealing, Time Travel, animosity from the past, not modern au, pink haired hellions, post battle valley of the end, post established Konoha, reconciled Madara, spiteful Tobirama, whole Madara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 77,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24891511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireThatFox/pseuds/FireThatFox
Summary: At the Valley of the end Hashirama didn't kill Madara, he sealed his soul...forever binding him to Konoha.The year is 2020 and Konoha is not the same anymore.  There is no chakra because chakra is a myth, considered magic or something similar to the world of fantasy.Madara's existence is mundane, pathetic and boring.  There is nothing for him but an eternity surrounded by what he considers a world of civilians....until one day at the Konoha museum, when a little pink haired girl uses what he knows...is chakra to defend herself from a bully.Suddenly, his eternity in civilian hell isn't quite as mundane as it used to be.  Who is this girl...and how can he use her to his own advantage.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Senju Tobirama, Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Madara, Haruno Sakura/Senju Tobirama, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Madara
Comments: 233
Kudos: 283





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To avoid confusion all the characters names will be the same as in canon...just know this is a modern AU, for now.

“Sakura!” Ino waved her hand in the air to catch her friend’s attention. “Come on Sakura! Let’s sit back here okay!”

A tender smile lights her little face and Sakura races to the back of the minibus to sit with her best friend Ino Yamanaka. However, before she is even halfway to her friend, she trips and falls. Her new blue skirt is now dirty with the grime of the bus’s floor, her hands and knees are scuffed and red. Tears roll from her eyes to wet her shirt and she brings her tiny fists to her face to swipe at the tears ineffectively, hoping no one will notice.

“Serves you right stupid.” Ami smirks from her seat, craning her neck to see if the dark haired boy at the front of the bus is watching. “Go on, sit at the back of the bus, that way no one can see you because you’re so ugly with that huge forehead of yours.”

“I’m ...I’m not ug ugly.” Sakura stutters and runs to her friend Ino who is glaring and shaking her first at Ami in anger.

“Just ignore her Sakura of course you’re not ugly. I don’t know what her problem is.” Ino starts criticizing Ami’s clothes and hair, making Sakura laugh when she sucks her cheeks into her mouth and pretends to be a fish, claiming Ami’s face looks like a fish face when she tries to think too hard. It makes Sakura feel better, knowing she has Ino on her side. It would be a very lonely life for Sakura without Ino.

“Thank you Ino.” Sakura’s face is still red, her skirt is still dirty and her hands are still scuffed, but her best friend is with her...so maybe...it’s okay.

Sasuke listens to the bickering behind him but he doesn’t care. He saw the pink haired girl fall but she was fine so he didn’t care. He wondered if today was the day his mom would be home from his brother’s house, in the next city over. Sasuke doesn’t like the museum, he doesn’t want to go on this field trip. The other kids on the bus are noisey, he doesn't like noise.

“Hey, all the seats are full, can I sit here?” A blonde kid asks.

That blonde kid. Sasuke doesn’t care, he doesn’t listen to what others think anyway. “Hn.”

“Uh, thanks.” Naruto sits down next to Sasuke and looks out the window on the other side of the bus, past Choji and Shikamaru who somehow found a way to recline in his seat without falling to the floor...and look comfortable while doing it.

“Settle down now, okay everyone here okay, let’s go.” Iruka sensei sits down behind the bus driver and pulls out their map and schedule, to double check it before they get there.

“This place is hu huge.” Sakura hides behind Ino, she doesn’t like large places. Large places intimidate her.

“I’m not impressed.” Ino places her hand on her hip looking up at the towering building with admirable confidence for a 6 year old.

Sakura gazes at her in adoration. She wishes she could be so brave...but she knows she just didn't have that drive that Ino does, she isn’t brave...not like Ino.

“Ino you’re so brave.” Sakura smiles at her friend.

“You can be brave too Sakura, you just need to stand up for yourself against Ami next time okay?” Ino hugs her friend.

“I’ll um, I’ll try.” Sakura promises Ino. She doesn’t think she can do it, but maybe...if Ino thinks she can , maybe she can.

“Great!” Ino hugs her friend...she knows Sakura can be brave, if she wants to.

Translucent spiky hair covers one of his eyes as he watches the same routine day after day. 

A bus arrives, children get out, teachers yell, children talk...so mundane Madara walks the halls, his hands behind his back. He’s been here in Konoha for centuries now...with nothing to do. Damn that Hashirama, trapping his soul here for eternity.

Konohagakure. 

Madara chose the name himself, before he left. Looking around, it was barely recognizable. The buildings, the people...they were too different, too mundane. He no longer found motivation to watch the elite, he garnered no favor in following the dangerous...they all died too young or grew too old too quickly and turned corrupt. That was then however, and this was now.

Shinobi were no more. There hadn’t been shinobi in over two hundred years and he had been there for over four hundred now.

He was bored.

Madara had accepted his fate, this was his hell that he was destined to exist in, day in, and day out until...well...until the end of time. He sighed with airless lungs, looked at the lines of children with dead eyes. A flash of pink caught his eye. His head turned.

More noise. He sighed.

“Get in the back of the line where you belong ugly pink headed monster!” Ami sneered at Sakura.

“No n no.” Sakura stood her ground with the support of her best friend by her side who was nodding and pushing her in the back.

“That’s it Sakura, I know you can do it.” Ino whispered to the back of her pink shirt that matched her pink hair.

Madara watched...because there was nothing else for him to do. People passed through him, he barely even noticed it anymore.

“I said, Move!” Ami pushed Sakura hard and she toppled over backwards onto her butt.

Madara watched as the tears welled up in the little pink girls eyes. He watched as she clenched and unclenched her fists in defeat. She’s giving up so quickly? How unfortunate...but expected. 

He sighs, the shinobi of his time are no more, this was 2020 and to them chakra is magic, a myth, a fantasy...not like in his day, he smiled thinking back at his own splendor.

Sakura stood back up slowly and looked at the dark haired girl. She could feel something building up inside of her. Rage, humiliation, she wasn’t sure but it surged through her body and pulsed in time with her heart. She had... had enough.

“Ami.” Sakura’s voice was small but determined, her whole body trembled with an energy...that she had never felt before.

“What? What are you going to do ?” Ami turned her head back to her friends who were laughing and snickering with her.

SMACK!

Ami spun and flew backward several more feet than a hit like that should have thrown her. She landed hard on her butt. Ami stared up at Sakura in shock, then...she started to scream, tears running down her face, howling.

Madara stood up from his seat, his eyes spun red and he stared at the little pink haired girl. He barely had enough chakra to ‘be’, he couldn’t really use his sharingan, but it didn’t take the sharingan to see, to feel, that familiar feeling of…

”Chakra.” the word slid from his translucent lips like a breath of fresh air...like salvation...like redemption..

Chakra…the girl, the little pink haired girl had ...chakra!

“This is...unexpected.” Madara watched the little girl look at the palm of her hand and then across the room at the girl sprawled on the floor because of her...a small twitching of her lips tells Madara...she had felt it too. 

“Interesting.” Madara grinned. “Very...interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...a short chapter to get started. Longer chapters to follow once I know people are interested. Leave a comment if you think I should continue.


	2. Chapter 2

“Sakura! How...I mean, what was that?” Ino placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder and looked into her wide green eyes. “Where did that come from? You slapped her and she...you’re so strong, when did you get so strong?”

Sakura looked up into the sky blue eyes of her best friend and shook her head. She didn’t know, she wasn’t even sure what had happened. “I did that?” 

Ino nodded, a small waiver of concern in her eyes as she looked at her friend who was clearly shocked at her own actions.

“Did I...I mean ...is she hurt badly Ino?” Sakura’s bottom lip began to quiver and her eyes darted across the room to Ami who was slowly getting to her feet with the help of one of her friends.

“She’s fine Sakura, geeze, you hit her and then you’re worried about her?” Ino flipped her hair behind her ear, she would never understand that about her friend, Sakura was too nice sometimes.

“Alright alright, everyone settle down, now what happened here, what’s going on, Ami, are you okay?” Iruka sensei asked the girl who was still wiping her tears from her face.

“Sa Sakura hit me and I flew across the room!” Ami cried out pointing at Sakura and Ino who were standing on the other side of the room watching.

“Ami, don’t tell lies, that’s impossible. Sakura couldn’t have hit you so hard that you would fly across the room. Now tell me, what really happened Ami.” Iruka saw that the girl was fine, that more than anything, her ego was hurt, not her person.

“She hit me sensei!” Ami cried out again.

Iruka looked skeptical and understandably so. Sakura was a quiet, polite, intelligent little girl who never caused anyone any trouble. Ami on the other hand was known to be quite the instigator. Iruka looked from Sakura to Ami once more.

“Sakura, did you hit Ami?” Iruka asked the little pink haired girl.

“Yes.” Sakura said quietly, her shoulders slumped.

Madara stood up from his seat and walked over to inspect the little girl more closely. She was weak minded, he concluded, clearly her parents hadn’t raised her to protect or even stand up for herself...like so many of the children he saw now in this time. Like so many adults. Madara looked at Ami...there were plenty of ‘those kind’.

“Exactly.” Iruka nodded and turned back to Ami. “Wait, what did you say Sakura?”

“I said I hit her Iruka sensei. I’m sorry.” Sakura bowed her head, her hands in front of her pleating the fabric of her skirt in her nervousness.

“You hit her?” Iruka asked, stunned.

“Yes sensei.” Sakura repeated herself.

Madara was annoyed, she hadn’t done anything wrong as far as he could see. The other little girl had deserved it. She would think twice before she tried to antagonize someone else like that again. He folded his arms over his chest and stood beside the pink haired girl named Sakura looking down at her in approval. ‘You did the right thing girl’

Static electricity snapped around Sakura and for a moment, she thought...she had heard something or...someone but Iruka sensei turned toward her, mouth slightly agape and told her to go sit down in the corner of the lobby, that he would speak with her after he called Ami’s parents to come get her.

Ino led Sakura to a seat in the corner of the lobby and sat down with her, petting her hair and talking to her soothingly. Madara watched as the man named Iruka called the other girl’s parents, then hung up his phone, looking over his shoulder at Sakura. Iruka looked at Ami and told her to stay there until her parents arrived to take her home, then made his way to Sakura and Ino.

Madara followed the man.

“Sakura, were you defending yourself? I know Ami picks on you.” Iruka said in a kind voice crouching down in front of the two little girls.

“Yes Iruka sensei, I had...had enough of her telling me I was ug ugly.” Sakura wouldn’t meet his eyes.

Madara frowned. She needed to look the man in the eye, she needed to speak up, more clearly with confidence. He tsked. ‘Look him in the eye when you speak to him’.

Sakura looked around her, attention on her sensei momentarily broken. She had felt it, again, that...crackle of...static that...a voice. Her eyes roamed the nearby seats, she looked up and down, past and through Madara who stood next to Iruka. She couldn’t see him but…

Can she...hear me? Madara looked at the little girl again in wonder, how unusual, what a strange child.

Iruka understood why Sakura had hit Ami, but he was both of their sensei, he couldn’t play favorites. “Sakura, I understand that Ami gives you a hard time but you can’t hit her like that. That is not the right way to handle things. Next time, come to me and tell me, talk to me and I will talk to Ami okay?”

“I did tell you sensei, you told me to come tell you the next time she did it because you didn’t witness it.” Sakura looked up then and looked Iruka in the eye, she felt that...she should.

Madara nodded his approval. ‘That’s it girl’

Sakura kept her eyes on Iruka sensei but she had felt it again, that static...what was that?

“I have to see it, Sakura, to do something about it.” Iruka told her.

“You didn’t see me hit her but you’re talking to me about it now, do the same rules not apply to Ami?” Sakura said boldly...where had that come from? She clasped her hands over her mouth, shocked at her own boldness. Ino laughed beside her.

“Yeah sensei!” Ino had her hand on her small hip and was staring at Iruka with blue eyes full of resentment. “She did what you told her to and Ami hasn’t stopped because she never does it when you can see it, and now that Sakura defended herself, you’re telling her not to!” Ino hissed as much as a 6 year old can hiss at their sensei.

Madara nodded with approval at the girl’s words. Her friend was a little spit fire, good.

“I can’t say you’re wrong Ino, but that doesn’t change the fact that Sakura hit Ami.” Iruka turned back to Sakura. “Hitting is different from words, Sakura. Do not hit your classmates, next time I will suspend you from school, do you understand?” He stood and looked down at the girl.

“I understand Iruka sensei.” Sakura looked him in the eye. She understood, he wouldn’t do anything to protect her, she would have to protect herself, like she had done, today.

Madara watched the man walk away from the girl and her friend, weak...the man was weak. He looked back down at the two little girls as they hopped off the plastic lobby seats and rejoined their class.

Sakura and Ino held hands as they waited in their class line and chatted quietly together. Madara watched the other little girl’s parent’s run up to her, hug her and look at Sakura with burning eyes as the man Iruka explained to them what had happened. He watched as the little girl Ami’s friends cast spiteful glances at Ino and Sakura and sighed. This wasn’t over, he hoped the little pink haired girl knew to watch her back. At least she had the blonde girl as a friend he thought to himself.

Madara followed the little girl as her class walked down the hallway to the first set of doors into the first exhibit.

“This is a plaque that was donated by the Senju clan, to Konoha before this museum was built. It commemorates….” The guide’s voice droned on and on, the same speech, every time, the same words...Madara hardly even heard them anymore.

He watched the pink haired girl, Sakura, lean forward and place her hands on the glass paneling to look more closely at a statue of Hashirama and himself, as children by the river. It was a portrayal of how they had first met skipping stones together by the river. Madara had seen it many times but what he had never seen before was the look on the little girl’s face as she looked through the glass. She looked...disturbed.

“Is this, are those the two founding fathers of Konoha?” She tugged on Ino’s sleeve.

Ino, who had been listening to the guide, turned her attention to her friend and looked through the glass panel to the figures and the fake water. “Yeah, Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju.”

“Madara, he looks so, so serious.” Sakura frowned.

Madara scoffed. ‘Of course I was serious girl, it was a time of shinobi, of death and war, not like today, there was plenty to be serious about, then.’

Sakura’s head snapped up and she looked right through him. Madara watched the girl, her eyes passing over him, then through him. She can’t possibly see me. Ridiculous, he told himself, no one had seen him in over three hundred years.

“Ino, did you...hear someone talking just now?” Sakura asked her friend who had turned back around to listen to the guide.

“The guide?” Ino asked without looking at Sakura.

“Nevermind.” Sakura took one last look at Madara and Hashirama as children by the river but turned away to follow Ino as her class moved to the next room.

By midday Madara had followed the girl around half of the museum and was bored again as he watched her and her friend eat lunch and listened to them talk.

“Can you imagine what it was like to live back then? Without plumbing or hot water?” Ino said, horrified at the prospect. “You would have to heat up your own bath!”

Sakura laughed at her friend. “I think, I would have liked it.”

“No way forehead, it would have sucked big time. I mean fighting all the time, having to train day in and day out, for what? To die for your village that uses you like a weapon?” Ino shook her head. “Doesn’t sound fun to me.”

Madara scoffed, kids nowadays, he shook his own head.

“I think it’s nice. Fighting together for a greater good, to belong, to protect what you love.” Sakura said seriously.

Madara smiled at the little pink haired girl. Exactly, he thought.

“Well it’s all a bunch of crap anyway, chakra, I mean it doesn’t even exist, it was just some sort of spiritual thing to them and they called it power.” Ino giggled. “I mean it’s like magic, you can’t really walk on water.”

‘Of course you can girl, I did it all the time’ Madara had heard it countless times from visitors, citizens that looked up at the Hokage mountain. They thought it was magic or something some primitive civilization that thought it was magic because they ‘didn’t know any better’...ridiculous, it was they who didn’t know any better and now...it was lost, except…

Sakura’s back straightened and she looked around again. 

She can hear me. Madara quirked his brow at her. ‘Girl, can you hear me?’.

Sakura looked around again, she felt...tingly and...slightly ill but she could have sworn she had heard a man’s voice saying...something. “What?” She asked hesitantly.

“What?” Ino asked.

“Did you hear something Ino? A man speaking or something?” Sakura felt silly asking her friend, it was clear she was the only one who had heard ‘it’, whatever it was.

“Uh, I don’t hear anything Sakura, you okay?” Ino looked at her friend who was looking left and right, up and down...searching.

“Yeah, I’m okay, never mind Ino, sorry.” Sakura laughed it off and gave her friend her full attention.

Interesting, Madara watched the little girl for the rest of her field trip and then watched as the children and their sensei boarded the small minibus to go back to the academy. He needed to find out more about the little girl, he wanted to...teach her how to use her chakra, to...deepen her chakra pools and see if...he could...he wasn’t sure yet but this discovery of chakra opened up so many possibilities to him that he hadn’t dreamed of, or even thought of in over a hundred years or more.

If anything, it was something to pass the time he told himself as he stepped out the front doors of the museum to walk to the academy he had helped set up at the founding of their village.

Madara sighed a breathless sigh as he walked the familiar and yet...drastically changed streets of Konoha. Many of the municipal buildings were the same but the houses had changed. There were no more compounds, no more clans as there once were, now it was a mix of...everything.

People walked through him as they went about their day completely oblivious to his presence or existence. He saw the red roof of the academy as he approached. It had been smaller in his day, barely enough shinobi to fill the walls even with the civilian children that Tobirama had insisted they let attend the academy. There were some people he didn’t miss. He chuckled to himself as he walked through the iron gates of the playground inside of the academy grounds.

There were some people however, that he would always miss. His younger brother Izuna was one and if he were completely honest with himself, his old friend and enemy, Hashirama the other. They say that time heals all wounds, well...Madara disagreed. Some wounds were so deep and bled too frequently to ever heal, it didn’t matter if it was a year or four hundred years.

Madara stood outside of Sakura’s classroom. He could see her pink hair easily among the more common blondes and browns. Coal eyes followed the girl as she rose with her classmates to leave the room for the day. He would follow her home, see what kind of home life she had and go from there. To formulate a plan, he needed to know more about the girl.

Sakura and Ino walked out of the academy together, their backpacks over their shoulders and their faces turned up to the sun. It was a really nice day out.

“Hey, do you want to go to the park?” Ino asked as they passed through the gate to their school and started walking down the road.

“Let me ask my mom first, but yeah that is a good idea.” Sakura smiled.

Ino and Sakura rounded the next corner and bounded up a flight of stairs to a green door. Sakura opened the door calling out “I’m home” as she kicked off her shoes. Ino and Madara followed her inside.

“Mom, can I go to the park with Ino please?” Sakura and Ino walked into the kitchen to find not only Sakura’s parents but Ami’s as well.

“I’m afraid the park will have to wait kiddo, it seems we have something to talk about.” Kizashi, Sakura’s father said with a smile at his daughter. “Why don’t you come back tomorrow Ino?”

“Of course Mr. Haruno. Bye Sakura. Good luck.” Ino whispered the last part to her friend as she left the room.

“Sit down Sakura.” Mebuki, Sakura’s mom, said a bit more sternly than her father.

Madara stood behind Sakura and watched as the adults in the room exchanged heated glances.

“Ami’s parent’s came to see us shortly after picking her up from your field trip to the museum today, Sakura. They tell us that you hit their daughter Ami. Is that true?” Mebuki asked her daughter.

“I did.” Sakura nodded, her hands in front of her on the table.

‘Look up girl, look your accusers in the eye, they are like their daughter, they are who she learned her cruelty from’ Madara bent over and whispered in her ear.

Sakura jumped and turned her head, her face inches from Madara’s and yet, she saw nothing but she felt...something...the static was there and yet…

“Sakura, pay attention dear.” Kizashi said gently to his daughter , his foot nudging her lightly under the table.

Sakura turned her head to Ami’s mother, then her father. “I did hit your daughter. She called me ugly and made fun of my wide forehead. She called me a pink monster and she tripped me on the bus this morning on the way to the museum.” Sakura looked them in the eye, her head was up and her voice...strong.

“I see.” Ami’s father said as he looked at the girl with a narrowed eye. “Hizashi, your daughter’s poor...behavior does not cast a kind shadow on you.”

“Nor does yours.” Mebuki said hotly. 

She hadn’t known Sakura had been tripped and made fun of. The way they had described the situation had made it appear as though Ami was the victim, but clearly that hadn’t been the case. This wasn’t the first time Mebuki had heard of this Ami girl. Sakura had told her she had spoken with Iruka sensei over a month ago about the girl...apparently he had done nothing and the bullying had continued. Mebuki was pissed.

“How unusual Sakura.” Kizashi looked at his daughter, taking in the way she had firmly set her shoulders, the hardness in her mouth...the determination in her eyes. “...for you to defend yourself in such a way. Good girl.”

“What? This is an outrage Kizashi.” Ami’s father rose to his feet and shook his fist in Kizashi’s face.

“You may leave.” Kizashi stood up and waved his hand to the door of the kitchen in dismissal making his wife smirk.

Ami’s parents huffed, more words were spoken but Sakura ignored them. She could feel it again, like the gentle humming of a dragon flies wings, like energy flowing through her hands and her fingers to the tips, then...she heard it, more clearly, more defined.

‘So that’s where you get your fighting spirit from’, Madara looked at her father with approval.

“Fighting spirit?” Sakura looked around the room.

‘You, heard me girl?” Madara looked down at the pink haired girl who looked up at him with wide green eyes...but through him still, searching.

“I can hear you.” Sakura smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was four, I thought I could fly if I ran really really fast. I swore to anyone who would listen I had done it, one summer day when I was four. I ran as fast as I could, my little legs a flurry of anxious determination...and then I jumped...and I flew. I looked down and saw the tops of the familiar trees in my friend's front yard, I saw the winding creek behind my house and my brother playing in the backyard with his friends...it was so real to me, I know it happened. I flew.
> 
> Time passed...and I forgot...
> 
> When I was six I had a dream about flying and when I woke...I remembered. I said to myself, today, I'll do it again...I can't believe I forgot that I could fly! 
> 
> I ate my breakfast as quickly as I could, I dressed and ran out the back door, down the hill to the field near the woods and ran...as fast as I could. I jumped...and fell flat on my face. It was...shocking and disappointing but also I felt something bold had happened...something tragic...
> 
> With tears in my eyes and grass stains on my knees I ran back to my house, through the back door and into my father's office. I told him what had happened, how confused I was. I asked him...why can't I fly anymore?
> 
> ...my father is a very unique and wonderful man...he smiled kindly at me and pat me on the head and told me...reality is like gravity, it has a way of weighting you down, but don't give up...keep trying to fly, if only in your dreams...
> 
> Children are more apt to believe the unbelievable, because gravity hasn't crushed them...yet

‘Does it not frighten you child? Can you see me?’ Madara asked the girl who was indeed looking at him, or at least, in the direction his voice was coming from.

“I can’t see you, but I can hear you more clearly now than before. Was it you, at the museum today, was it you who had been speaking to me?” Sakura asked the nameless voice.

‘Yes’, Madara said thoughtfully. If she could hear him now...and she couldn’t before, then…’Tell me girl, do you understand what happened earlier today with that other little girl that you struck across the face?’ 

“No, do you?” Sakura asked him, her eyes focusing somewhere at his mid chest.

‘I have an idea but I am not certain. Would you...be willing to help me find out?’ He asked her.

It wasn’t his time anymore, he didn’t have the power or the authority to command her, he didn’t even have a physical body to force her into obedience, he must...earn her trust, pique her interest.

“It tingles.” Sakura hadn’t answered his question, she had been flexing her fingers repeatedly over and over at her sides. “It feels like energy. Is that what it is?”

Madara considered her question. ‘I suppose, yes, that is exactly what it is. What I want to know though, is how come you have it and what we can do with it’

“We?” Little green eyes focused on his throat.

She was clever...Madara grinned. It had been some time since anything had garnered his attention like this little girl, chakra or no chakra. ‘We’

Sakura wasn’t sure what the voice meant, but she wanted to find out more about this ‘energy’ that was coursing through her veins even now. 

“It feels like popping bubbles are in my veins, like, it is exploding but it doesn’t hurt it just feels….” Sakura’s eyes rolled into the back of her head and she slumped over, falling to the floor of the small kitchen.

Her chakra pathways are opening and filling themselves with chakra, Madara thought as he saw the pulse throbbing in her neck. She is becoming aware and would wake up on her own in time. Madara looked down at the girl. ‘I will be back, sleep girl.’

Madara left the girl’s house, her parents walking through him as they walked back to their kitchen. His translucent body passed through their front door just as the girl’s mother began to cry out the little girl’s name. ‘Sakura’, where had he heard that name before?

The Uchiha compound was gone. Gone after the last Uchiha had failed to bear enough offspring to fill it. The village had bought off house after house, one at a time until there had only been a few blocks of the formerly vast compound left. Madara stood outside of the last few remaining houses, even those few blocks...no longer remained.

When Hashirama had sealed him, binding him forever to this village he had taken away most of his chakra leaving only enough to support a vague will. A bland and fruitless existence. However, the first shinobi world war came and went, then the second and Hashirama had died. There was no one to watch him, no one to keep him from siphoning chakra from the living.

He could never siphon enough to become ‘whole’ again but he had managed in the Second Hokage’s absence to siphon enough to touch, to feel, to move things. Very slowly he began to collect the little things, that wouldn’t be missed, that he would need...for the future and hid them away in a secret vault in the Naka Shrine.

As fate would have it, the second war ended only for the third to begin almost immediately. Tobirama returned to the village in the small spanse between the wars however and placed a powerful transportation seal on the entrance of the Naka Shrine, much to Madara’s anger. It prevented him from entering the shrine, just him, just Madara. It was a spirit seal, a transportation seal.

It would transfer Madara back over and over to the day Hashirama had first sealed him, making his time begin again. Hell prolonged. He hated that white haired Senju more than anyone. Not only had the bastard of a man killed Izuna his younger brother, but had kept him from the spiritual deity of his ancestors for an eternity.

Tobirama was not Hashirama. Hashirama would never have done such a thing. Hashirama was an honorable man, if not a bit of a sap. Madara stood before the old Naka Shrine entrance, it’s pillars were all that remained, the shrine itself had been torn down after it’s collapse one hundred and fifty years ago. 

No one had rebuilt it, no one remembered it. Most of the villagers didn’t even know that a shrine had ever existed here. Madara could feel the thrum of the earth, the energy of nature swirling around in the air and pulsing from the ground. This was a spiritual place and he wondered if he brought the little girl here, if she would be able to feel it too.

So much time had passed. He couldn’t be sure of everything he had hidden away in the underground rooms of the shrine. Madara closed his eyes and visualized it in his head. The main hall was hidden underground, under the seventh tatami mat and at the back of the great hall, to the side in a room that no one else had known about but he and Izuna...were thousands of scrolls, seals stolen from the Senju Tobirama, weapons with unique powers, sealed chakra...that he needed desperately.

Madara opened his eyes. It was of no use to him now though. As the years had passed fewer and fewer people were born with chakra, the clans faded away, bloodlines became diluted and chakra was lost to history. Over time Madara lost what little chakra he had managed to syphon, the main collection of his efforts sealed away out of reach by that blasted Tobirama...if only he could get to it, then he could be...possibly be...restored. 

There was no one to stop him now, here. The archives were either lost, damaged or ruined beyond salvation. The scrolls that did exist were thought to be folklore, to be cherished but not taken seriously. The words of his time and the generations of war and peace were lost to the modern age of computers, medicine and science.

Coal eyes bore into the dirt of the park that now occupied the territory of his clan, of their shrine. The twentieth Hokage had declared it a preservation and nothing more had been built on the lands of his ancestors to this day...a small condolence as far as he was concerned.

Old memories began to stir inside his head. He sat down in the dirt of the forest, past the rotting pillars of the Naka Shrine, on top of the meeting room of his clan and closed his eyes once more. In his mind’s eye Hashirama stood before him in his Hokage robes, eyes full of hope and...sincerity. It sickened him. He had been the fool, not Hashirama. . 

Was he making the same mistakes again, using the girl to...to...he sighed, he didn’t know. He hadn’t...felt anything for so long but he knew the familiar weight of guilt when he felt it and he felt it now. Could he use her so? Could he mold her, hone her skills, help her develop and teach her how to use her chakra only to use her for his own selfish purposes?

Yes. 

He could. The Uchiha were no more. Only small mixed families remained. It wasn’t enough, not for him. He wanted to see his clan thriving again, living again, he wanted...to live again. An impossible task. He didn’t even know if he could do it and if he couldn’t...the girl would suffer...was it worth it?

Yes.

Madara rose to his feet, turned to the East where the old Uchiha burial grounds lay, bowed his head and asked his brother for forgiveness. He had decided. He would train the girl how to use her chakra, deepen her chakra pools and use her to remove the seal that bastard Tobirama had placed on his clan’s shrine.

“No.” Sakura said again when Madara asked her the next day if she was frightened of him, if speaking with him bothered her. 

He found it rather odd that the young girl wouldn’t at least question his presence. She had seemingly accepted him without much complaint. Madara of course kept his comments to a minimum, not wishing to overwhelm her, but the little pink haired girl often spoke to him first...prompting him to question her again.

“It’s...kinda nice to have someone to talk to...other than Ino. I mean…” Sakura hesitated, her head down, her fingers twisting in her shirt.

‘Speak up girl and look up when you talk to someone, do not be afraid’, Madara said kindly, careful of his tone. 

He had learned quickly that his tone set her mood. If he spoke sternly to her, she tended to fold in upon herself. If he spoke to her gently, she listened, and responded more openly with him. It was extremely frustrating...and rewarding at the same time. He hadn’t ‘felt’ anything for decades, centuries...it was...nice.

“Yes um...sir?” Sakura looked up just over his shoulder and tried to smile.

‘You may call me...Madara. I’m going to train you, teach you how to defend yourself’ Madara inclined his head to the girl even though she couldn't see him. It had been a long time since he had spoken his own name, it sounded almost foreign to him, but pleased him nonetheless.

“Madara? Like Madara Uchiha?” Sakura squinted her eyes up hard and looked over his shoulder.

‘Yes, just like Madara Uchiha, one of the founding fathers of Konoha...Sakura chan’, Madara smiled at the flush on the little girl’s cheeks. She was pleased...so was he if he were honest.

“Is that because we met in the museum?” She smiled brightly.

‘Perhaps’, Madara bent over to her ear. ‘Don’t tell anyone though, it will be our little secret’

Sakura shook her head, her pink locks flying out around her head, passing through Madara’s cheek. “I would never. They wouldn’t believe me anyway.”

‘Not even Ino?’, He asked her curiously.

“Well, no...she wouldn’t understand.” Sakura shuffled her feet a bit. “Can we, um, start my training now Madara?”

‘Of course. Let us begin with meditation. To learn, you must clear your mind so that you may focus wholly on learning something new. Sit on your bed Sakura with your feet underneath your body, your hands folded in your lap and focus only on your breathing. In through the nose and then out through the mouth.’ Madara instructed her.

Sakura climbed up onto her bed and did as he had told her to.

‘Excellent, now then, listen to my voice and let all your worries and concerns flow out with your breath’, His voice was deep, smooth and calming as he spoke to her. 

‘Breathe in, now out...think of nothing, clear your mind and open your soul up to me, feel the energy surrounding you and draw it into your body with each new breath’ Madara watched the little girl’s face as she concentrated, the lines in her forehead receded, the strain around her eyes relaxed and she began to breathe slowly, measured and relaxed.

‘I will join you, we can do this exercise together’, Madara sat down on her bed beside her and began breathing in and out breathless air, clearing his head and trying to relax beside the young girl.

Sakura breathed in and out slowly, she felt her whole body relax, she could feel the tingling again as if the air itself was...charged with ...electricity. “Madara? I feel tingly again.”

‘Good, that means you are doing it correctly. Continue Sakura, don’t fight it, let the energy of the earth into your soul, into your heart. Draw the energy into your body, hold it, then let it flow back out into the air. Do you feel it?’ He asked her.

Sakura took several deep breaths, held them , then let them out. Her whole body was tingling, she felt...ill. “I feel something. I’m not sure Madara, it feels like...I’m going to be sick.”

‘Rest’, Madara told her. ‘Rest Sakura, you did very well’

Sakura lay back onto her bed. “I wish, I could see you Madara.”

‘It isn’t necessary’, he closed his eyes and continued to breathe in and out beside her.

“Still, it would be ...nice.” Sakura smiled softly, her last word a whisper.

Madara opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder at the small girl. She was trying. ‘You did very well, we’ll try again tomorrow’.

‘Sakura Chan, wake up, it’s time to train’, Madara leaned over the small lump in the bed and spoke into the girl’s ear.

“More sleeping.” Sakura rolled over and pulled the covers up over her head.

‘Sakura, get up, it’s time to train’, Madara spoke more sternly. 

In his time he would have picked her up and carried her to the horse trough and thrown her in...he sighed. ‘Get up, or have you changed your mind, do you want that Ami girl to talk down to you forever?’

Sakura rolled over in her bed onto her back, spread her arms and legs out like a star fish and groaned...repeatedly. “Ugh.”

‘I’ll meet you downstairs’, Madara grinned and walked down stairs to wait for her.

Fifteen minutes later Sakura emerged, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and yawning. “Madara, it’s too early, can’t we do this after the sun is up?” Sakura looked out the window, it was still dark outside. She groaned.

‘I always rose before dawn to train and I killed my first man in battle when I was your age’, Madara told her.

“Huh? You’re joking.” Her eyes were more open, he had caught her attention.

‘I’m not. I’m going to train you, Sakura, I’m going to teach you everything I can’ Madara turned toward the front door. ‘Come’

“You’re not the real Madara though, he died over uh I don’t know, three or four hundred years ago.” Sakura picked her coat up off of the coat hanger and shoved her little arms into the sleeves, zipping it up before speaking again. “You’re just pretending.”

‘Think as you wish, you’ll find out soon enough. It matters not, I will train you, come Sakura, open the door, let us go to the old park’ Madara walked through the door as she opened it.

The sun was breaking the sky as they walked under the pillars of the old shrine and he wondered if she could feel it without him prompting her. He watched her closely as they walked into the park a little ways. 

‘Stop here child. Let’s start with your breathing exercises’, Madara sat down on the ground and looked at her expectantly.

Sakura didn’t sit though. She looked around herself into the dark corners of the woods, to the tops of the trees and to the water beyond. 

“This place Madara, I feel something here it feels like the tingling feeling only it’s...much stronger.” She whispered, not wanting to disturb the silence that surrounded her.

‘This is a special place to my clan. It is called the Naka Shrine. It is...no more. My ancestors, they did not see fit to rebuild it or keep up it’s maintenance and it fell into disarray and is... part of legend, like me, like my clan.’ Madara spoke just as quietly.

“There are still Uchiha though. Sasuke Uchiha, he’s in my class.” Sakura protested.

‘Indeed, there are, however, they have forgotten...who they are, where they came from and what they ought to be’, His voice was filled with resentment. Even at 6 years old, she heard it.

“Is that why you want to teach me?” She asked.

She was clever, she was quick. ‘Yes’, He said simply. ‘It is’

“Why me? Why not a member of your clan, even if they have forgotten who they are and all that, surely you could remind them?” She didn’t understand, she was no one, no one special, why would he choose her?

‘There is a requirement for the training I will give you, it is called...chakra. No one has it anymore, but you’, Madara told her, and waited for his words to sink in before he continued.

“Chakra? That’s, but that’s ridiculous, that’s just a myth.” Sakura giggled.

‘It is real Sakura. Where do legends come from if not from partial truths?’ He asked her.

“Well, some yes, but…” She sat down thinking hard.

‘I was watching you in the museum when you hit that Ami girl, did you realize with one slap to the face you sent her flying across the room?’, Madara asked her.

“I hadn’t...realized she went that far.” Sakura said brokenly.

‘She did, because...you used chakra to strike her’, Madara saw the acceptance on the young girl’s face, and then...the denial.

“That’s ridiculous Madara, you’re...why are you saying such things, are you...why lie like this to me even if you’re only a voice in my head, why do this?” She was confused. Why was the voice in her head being mean to her, was it not her own creation, did it not come from her own brain?

‘Sakura, you don’t have to believe me because I am going to show you. Your chakra pools are low. It is not uncommon for children to have hardly any chakra and much less for someone who is generations past the last known chakra user. I suspect that interaction with that girl triggered something deep inside of you releasing your chakra’, He told her.

‘That isn’t the only reason though or others would have done the same. I think...you are special Sakura, perhaps…’ He looked at the pink locks in the rising sunlight. ‘A descendant of the Uzumaki clan’

“Uzumaki.” Sakura murmured the name. “Wait, you mean, you’re not just a voice in my head?”

Madara sighed. ‘No, I’m not. I am Madara Uchiha of the feudal era, the clan head of the great Uchiha clan in a time where chakra was used as both a blessing and a curse. I founded the village you live in, owned the land you sit on and I am going to train you, Sakura...to be a shinobi in a time where there aren’t any’

“Oh.” Sakura turned her head to the rising sun in the East and thought over his words.

“You’ll...teach me to be strong?” She asked him.

‘I will’, Madara nodded.

“To be a shinobi?” Sakura was fascinated.

‘If you’ll let me’, Madara was smiling now.

Sakura nodded to herself. “Why?”

Madara thought about his words carefully. She was six, yes, but she was clever, he had already seen that in her…’I need you to release a seal for me, a seal that had locked me out of the shrine of my ancestors for over three hundred and fifty years. I can’t do it, I don’t have enough chakra’ He waited...if he could breathe, he would have held his breath.

Sakura tapped her fingers to her lips in thought. “That...makes more sense than wanting to help me, for me. I see the benefit for both of us though.” She turned to where she thought he was and bowed.

“Thank you Madara Sama.” Sakura smiled at his left shoulder, green eyes sparkling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think please...


	4. Chapter 4

‘Again’, Madara prompted her. ‘Count in between stretches’, he told her.

Sakura raised her arms above her head as he had told her to do, turned her head slowly from left to right, up then down in straight precise movements. Her arms stretched out over her head remained still and straight.

‘Now, lower your arms to your waist, a fist at each hip and bend your knees slightly, spread your feet out to meet the length of your shoulders...yes, that’s it, now hold your stance’, Madara watched the girl move into a horse stance. It had only taken him all morning to teach her this simple and basic position. 

At this rate, it would take more time than she had to learn what he needed to teach her. If he could show her, they could have moved on already, as it was...she couldn’t see him demonstrate the forms to even begin to understand them...

‘Girl, I want you to ask your parents to enlist you for martial arts training. I need you to learn the basics more quickly than you are now’, he explained when the look of puzzlement crossed her face.

‘It is no fault of yours Sakura. You can not see me, I can not show you how to position your feet, your hands...in a way that is needed for proper instruction. Do you think your parent’s would be willing to accommodate this requirement to move forward with your training in chakra control?’

“I think my dad would be okay with it. I am not sure about my mom, but I can ask.” Sakura said slowly.

‘Good, do that. In the meantime our time will not be wasted. Endurance training will push your body to the limit and be both beneficial to your martial arts training and your chakra growth. You will start with running Sakura’. Madara smiled at her.

“Run? You mean like jogging around the park Madara Sama?” She asked him.

‘Exactly’, He smiled.

“That’s, so easy though.” She didn’t understand how running helped.

‘Run...until you either throw up or faint’, Madara told her.

“Great.” Sakura sighed, took a deep breath and started running. Madara followed close behind her.

‘Run around the perimeter of the village. You don't need to be fast, yet, but you do need to endure. Run at a steady pace for as long as you can. We will do this everyday, faster and harder each time, longer and longer as many times as it takes for your endurance to grow and strengthen’ He explained.

“Yes Madara Sama.” Sakura ran...and ran...and ran until she could run no more.

She lay panting on the ground, rolled over onto her side, Madara above her looking down. She had given it her all, he was both surprised and relieved. Not all children born of this time were as determined or as disciplined. 

He had fully expected her to rebel, to be rude and to try to push him away. Instead she seemed to embrace the trial, to thrive on the hardship...he couldn’t be more pleased with her want, with her disposition.

‘You did well Sakura’, He sat down beside her. ‘Sit up. We will meditate together. Open your pathways and let in the energy around you, focus your mind...now, breathe in, breathe out’ He instructed. 

Sakura sat up and crossed her legs, set her hands in her lap and closed her eyes. She calmed her pulse, focused her breathing as he had told her and breathed in through her mouth and out through her nose. She could feel it, the tingling almost immediately this time.

“Madara Sama! It’s easier! I can feel it more clearly! Amazing!” Sakura hummed in her excitement.

So soon? Madara had thought it would be at least a month before she felt the effects of her training, it had been only a day, less than 24 hours...he watched the little girl, she wasn’t lying, he could almost feel it himself, the energy swirling around her small body. Her face was alight, she was pleased...she almost...looked like Izuna had the first time he had felt his own chakra growing inside of himself.

‘Good. We will continue as we started then. Tomorrow, after school, I want you to run again, starting in the park and around the perimeter of the village until, like today, you can run no more. The more you train the easier it will be to open your chakra channels and eventually you will open them to their full capacity’ Madara smiled at the girl.

‘When that happens...I will teach you how to use your chakra Sakura, to fight, to protect like you did at the museum, against that Ami girl’

Sakura nodded, her eyes still closed, focused on her breathing. “Thank you Madara Sama.”

That evening at dinner Sakura made her request.

“Would it be possible for me to um, learn martial arts?” Sakura asked her parents, looking from one to the other.

Mebuki paused mid bite to look at her daughter in surprise, but her father Kizashi smiled.

“Our little girl wants to learn how to defend herself.” He said with a smile to his wife who had a slightly worried look on her face.

“Sakura,” Her mother began…”...if this is because of Ami, I don’t think that violence is the way. I am not saying the girl didn’t deserve a little slap for what she did but I don’t want you to use force to um...well.”

“Why do you want to learn martial arts, little flower?” Sakura’s dad took control of the conversation as her mother petered off in her thoughts.

“I want to defend myself, yes, but that is not my uh motivation. I just want to...become stronger to…” What had Madara said? “I want to endure.” Sakura smiled triumphantly.

“Is that so?” Kizashi scratched his chin. “Well, I see no reason why you shouldn’t...as you call it...endure.” He smiled at his daughter.

“Kizashi...I don’t think I mean, are you sure this is a good idea?” Mebuki was hesitant. She wasn’t opposed to Sakura learning how to defend herself but she had just hit another student across the face and she didn’t want to promote violence.

“Will you promise to use it only in self defense Sakura?” Kizashi asked his daughter seriously.

“I promise father. I understand your concern.” Sakura smiled at her mother.

Kizashi looked at his wife, who nodded, if not still a bit reluctantly. “I will look into some martial arts schools for you tomorrow then.”

“Thank you father!” Sakura leapt from her chair and hugged her father, then kissed her mother.

Madara nodded, satisfied. Good.

“Sakura!” Ino called to her friend from the other side of the fence running fast.

“Hey Ino.” Sakura smiled as her friend joined her on the way to the academy the next morning.

“I heard your dad told Ami’s dad off, is that true?” Ino was smirking like a cat with cream...she loved gossip.

“Not exactly, he just told him that Ami was as much to blame as I was and Ami’s father didn’t like it. He wanted to blame me and only me.” Sakura explained.

“Well of course he did.” Ino put the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically and pinched her nose with the other hand. “Ami? No, no, you must be mistaken, my darling angel can do no wrong!” Ino’s impression of Ami’s father was almost spot on and it made both of the girls laugh in delight.

Sakura sensed something, a change in pressure in the air, a stillness or a silence of some sort and looked up, the laughter dying in her throat and saw Sasuke Uchiha looking at her oddly. Sasuke Uchiha, a descendant of Madara’s…

Sakura looked at the boy taking in his dark hair, his dark eyes and wondered...did Madara have dark hair and dark eyes? She couldn’t recall the images from the museum other than the red armour and the large fan like weapon he was said to have carried with him into battle that possessed magical abilities.

“Sakura, do you...do you have a crush on Sasuke or something? You’re staring at him and...he’s staring at you.” Ino asked, her voice subdued.

It was so unlike her friend that Sakura looked away from the boy to look her friend over closely...was Ino...jealous? “I don’t even know him, I just wondered if he was related to Madara Uchiha, you know from the museum, one of the founding fathers.”

“Oh.” Ino said with more cheer in her tone. “I think I heard he is, distantly...I mean, everyone is in a way I suppose over the years all of the clans intermarried and had lots of kids.” Ino said dismissing the topic now she was sure her friend wasn't in competition for the boy’s affections.

“Why do you ask?” Ino was curious, Sakura’s mind had always been a bit of a mystery to her, she had always wished she could get into her head to figure out how she thought sometimes.

“Hum? Oh I just wondered what Madara looked like, is all.” Sakura said absently.

‘Does it matter?’ Madara spoke behind Sakura making her jump, she hadn’t realized he was there, not being able to see him…

“Just curious.” Sakura muttered.

“There is a picture of him at the museum and I think there is one in the principal’s office.” Ino said. “Want to go see? We still have ten minutes before the bell rings.”

“Yea!” Sakura jumped up and clapped her hands.

Ino laughed and pulled her friend by the hand as they ran into the school and down the hall.

Madara rolled his eyes and followed them.

The two little girls stood before a tall painting in the main office of the academy, the frame had been made from one of the many trees Hashirama had formed from the earth and water to surround their village...Madara remembered it well. He had been forced for weeks to sit in the same position beside his friend and his...brother, until the painting had finally been completed.

He hated the painting. If only he could use his chakra, one quick fire ball jutsu could erase the monstrosity from existence...he sighed.

“He looks um...so tense.” Ino said, her head cocked to the side as she gazed up at the picture.

“He looks annoyed.” Sakura giggled.

‘I was annoyed. This painting wasn’t my idea, it was Hashirama’s, the idiot kept going on and on about commemorating the academy and such nonsense. It was a nightmare’, Madara glared at the painting willing it to erupt in flames.

“He’s rather handsome, you know and he does look like Sasuke.” Ino giggled.

“Sasuke looks like him you mean.” Sakura said absently as she looked at the picture. Madara was handsome, she thought.

‘Are you done?’ Madara asked. ‘The bell is going to ring soon’

“Come on Ino let’s get to class.” Sakura pulled her friend along after her as she ran out of the main office toward their classroom.

Morning came and went without issue. Ami and her friends whispered and snickered behind their hands, pointed and tried to trip Sakura a few times but she ignored them, side stepped their efforts with a little warning here and there from Madara and had made it to lunch without falling, crying or much confrontation.

“My mom packed me some of the new Spring radishes, would you like one?” Ino offered a radish to Sakura who took one with a nod.

“Wow Ino, these are great.” Sakura crunched her radish.

‘She comes’, Madara looked over his shoulder and saw the brown haired girl and her friends approaching the blonde and the pink haired girl. ‘Do not use your chakra to strike her again, consider this training as well, suppress the tingling sensation, focus on holding it in’, Madara instructed.

“Right.” Sakura said, swallowing the last of the radish before standing up and turning on her heel to meet Ami and her cohorts face to face.

“Huh?” Ino looked at her friend wondering why she was standing, then she saw Ami and her friends and rose to her feet beside Sakura, her fists clenched.

“What do you want, fish face?” Ino laughed at the brown haired girl whose face started to turn red from Ino’s insult.

“You think you’re something special now just because you hit me, well you’re not ...ugly.” Ami smirked.

Sakura clenched her fists but didn’t say anything. Madara had told her to control her chakra, okay...she could feel the tingling in her fingers, could feel the energy moving in her veins and then, the snap, the pulse….no, suppress, he had told her to suppress it….how…..

Slowly, Sakura took in a deep breath through her nose, then let it out through her mouth, repeating it until she could feel the ebb and flow of her...energy of her chakra evening out, calming in her veins. 

“I did it!” She said happily without thinking.

‘Good girl, that’s it. I knew you could do it’, Madara was surprised...the girl had...excellent chakra control. He hadn’t expected her to be able to do it without more practice.

“Did what?” Ino cast a side glance at her friend.

“Oh uh, I resisted the urge to hit her again.” Sakura said quietly.

“I dare you to hit me again ugly! If you do, Iruka sensei will suspend you and then I won’t have to see your ugly face. Hit me!” Ami taunted Sakura.

It was then Sakura realized...how very childish Ami really was. She had never seen it before, too caught up in her own misery to notice anything beyond her own hurt. Sakura looked at the girl with pity in her eyes.

“I’m not going to hit you Ami. Go eat your lunch with your friends, there is no need for this.” Sakura turned, taking Ino by the hand and pulled her back down to sit with her so they could finish eating their lunch.

Ami, who was not used to being dismissed much less by Sakura was...furious. “You little, why I’m going to show you…” Ami drew her hand back and hit Sakura over the head hard, making her jerk forward, her face hitting her rice ball that she had just raised to her mouth.

Ino leapt to her feet and charged Ami, hitting her across the face. Sakura jumped to her feet to stop Ino, grabbing her by the arms, and yelling that it wasn’t worth it.

“I’m going to tell Iruka sensei and you're going to get suspended, both of you!” Ami screamed as she ran across the playground and back into the academy to find Iruka sensei.

“Great.” Sakura moaned but Ino was still fuming.

“She deserved that, I mean you basically told her you weren’t going to stoop to her level, then she hit you for it!” Ino hissed.

“I’m going to get in trouble, I just know it.” Sakura groaned.

Madara’s attention was drawn from the girls as a new face made their way over to where Ino and Sakura were sitting.

“Hey.” Sasuke said, his hands in his pockets.

“Hi.” Sakura said, a bit surprised to see him there, he never really talked to her or anyone else keeping to himself most of the time.

“Hi Sasuke!” Ino jumped to her feet getting closer to the boy who ignored her, his eyes on Sakura.

“Why were you running around the village yesterday?” Sasuke asked Sakura, ignoring Ino who had begun tugging on his sleeve.

“I like running.” Sakura frowned, he had seen her?

“It looked like you were talking to someone though, who were you talking to, no one was with you.” Sasuke asked her, stepping closer to her.

“I was talking to myself.” Sakura could feel Madara she thought, something was moving, energy or friction of some sort. Sakura looked around but saw nothing, nothing was there.

“What are you looking for?” Sasuke asked her, he was closer now looking at her intently.

‘Don’t tell him Sakura’, Madara reminded her and she nodded.

“Iruka sensei is coming.” Sakura pointed behind Sasuke where Iruka sensei was approaching with Ami and her friends.

Sasuke moved over to stand beside Sakura, pulling his arm from Ino’s grasp and pushing the blonde away slightly. Ino huffed but remained quiet watching like the other two as their sensei walked over to them.

“Sakura, Ino, Ami tells me you both hit her, is that true?” Iruka had his hands on his hips and a stern look on his face.

“It isn’t true. Ami and her friends hit and pushed Sakura and Ino...I saw it.” Sasuke looked at Iruka, his posture straight, his eyes bold...as bold as the lie he had just told their sensei.

“What?” Iruka asked again, looking at the boy.

“I said, Ami and her friends hit and pushed Sakura and Ino. I was going to ask Sakura about something and saw the whole thing.” Sasuke continued with the lie.

“He’s lying!” Ami screeched, hurt and disbelief in her eyes that her crush would not only defend Ino and Sakura but lie about it as well.

“I’m not lying, in fact you bully Sakura a lot, mostly when you don’t think anyone is watching. I see it all the time.” Sasuke shrugged.

“Well, uh, then Ami, you and your friends are suspended. Go to the principal's office. I will meet you there shortly.” Iruka turned back to look at Sakura, Ino and Sasuke. “Why didn’t you tell me Sakura?”

“I did sensei...remember?” Sakura tried to keep the contempt from her little voice, but Iruka had heard it and flushed, she had tried to tell him, he supposed.

Madara crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at his very distant descendant who resembled his own younger brother in his time. ‘Liars are not better than offenders. I do not know why this boy lied for you Sakura, but you should not accept help like that to get out of trouble, even if you weren’t in the wrong, to accept that kind of help, is wrong’ Madara spoke to the girl before she could get caught up in the cooing of the blonde, now attached to the dark haired boy again.

“Thank you for your help Sasuke, but I do not want you to lie for me again. I didn’t do anything wrong, there was no need to lie.” Sakura said it politely but firmly.

“I was just trying to help.” Sasuke didn’t understand.

“I know.” Sakura picked up her rice ball and began to eat again, lunch was almost over.

“Sakura! Be nice to Sasuke! He’s like a knight in shining armour!” Ino cooed and hugged Sasuke much to Sasuke’s annoyance.

“I understand that Ino, but lying is as bad as hitting. I don’t want that kind of help.” Sakura turned her back on the dark haired boy whose face was turning red.

“Fine, I won’t help you next time then.” Sasuke pulled his arm from Ino and stomped away.

“What’s wrong with you, forehead? The hottest kid in school helps you and you just, just tell him not to?” Ino didn’t understand her friend.

“I don’t need that kind of help Ino. I have you.” Sakura smiled at her friend who huffed a bit but seemed pleased all the same. “Whatever Sakura, you’re so strange sometimes.”


	5. Chapter 5

Sakura saw a few children her own age but most of the students in the martial arts class were older than she was. Her father stood beside her talking to the man behind the counter as Sakura’s eyes continued to wander over the class that she would be joining.

“Here is her uniform and her belt, as she progresses and is tested she will earn higher belts and a better position in our school.” The man behind the counter smiled down at Sakura who wasn’t paying much attention to him.

Coal eyes rested on the pink haired girl from the corner of the room. Sasuke was more than a little surprised to see the girl here of all places, but also a little pleased. Slowly, he walked over to her.

The man behind the counter looked up and smiled at Sasuke. “Sasuke, this is Sakura, could you please give her a tour of our school and help her get ready for class? She just enrolled with us for daily lessons.”

“Yea Shisui.” Sasuke nodded to the man behind the counter and took Sakura’s hand before she could pull away or protest. 

Sakura waved to her dad as Sasuke pulled her to the other side of the room. Kizashi grinned and waved back, pleased his daughter had a little friend in the class already.

“Why are you here?” Sasuke asked Sakura rudely. It had come out wrong, he knew it as soon as he saw her face contort into something akin to anger. “I mean, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I want to learn martial arts.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked him in the eye.

“Oh, well, that’s good. My cousin is one of the best, he traveled with the circuit and went to the state finals, then the nationals and the Olympics.” Sasuke pointed to Shisui behind the counter.

“Really? That’s so cool.” Sakura was impressed and relaxed her arms once she realized Sasuke hadn’t intended to insult her.

‘Remember what you’re here for Sakura’, Madara said sternly from behind her.

Sakura didn’t even flinch, she was getting used to him talking to her out of nowhere.

“Where can I change into my uniform Sasuke?” She asked, pulling her hair into a ponytail and twisting it up with an elastic band.

“The dressing rooms are here, meet me on the mats when you’re done.” He motioned to the large mats in the middle of the room.

Sakura tied her belt on and folded her street clothes into a neat pile placing them into one of the cubbies that lined the dressing room wall and pulled the curtain back. Looking around she saw several more children, all older than she was moving onto the mats. Spotting Sasuke, she walked out into the middle and stood beside him.

‘Let’s see what has changed in the last 400 years shall we’, Madara said with amusement beside her. ‘All you need are the basics, so even if the instructor isn’t very good, it will suffice’

Shisui walked out in front of the class, his back to the mirrors that lined the wall behind him, winking at his own reflection in the mirrors that lined the wall in front of him, making several of his students smile and laugh.

“We have a new student with us today. Sakura please come up to the front of the class and introduce yourself, tell us why you wish to learn martial arts.” Shisui smiled at Sakura as she walked to the front of the room and bowed.

“My name is Haruno Sakura. I am 6 years old. I am here to learn martial arts so I may better protect myself and those that can not protect themselves. Please think well of me.” Sakura bowed again, straight backed like Madara had taught her, making eye contact with everyone that she was able to.

Shisui’s smile widened, he was pleased with her introduction. “Thank you Sakura, please partner with Sasuke for this class so I may judge your potential.”

“Yes Sensei.” Sakura bowed again and took her place beside Sasuke again.

Madara walked in and out of the students observing, criticizing and judging them all the while keeping an eye on his own student. The boy Sasuke had started her off on some simple punches and two position forms much to his surprise and approval. She had picked it up quickly just as he had expected her to.

“Have you done this before?” Sasuke asked her curiously, she had picked up the fluidity of the motion too well and he couldn’t help but wonder if she had been enrolled in another school before this one.

“No, am I doing it wrong?” Sakura paused, she could have sworn she had done it just like he had shown her.

“Uh no, you’re doing it perfectly...it is unusual for a first time student with no background to pick up the forms so quickly. Muscle memory needs to be established but you seem to have it...already which is kinda, uh weird.” Sasuke frowned at her.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” She continued to punch the invisible target in front of her, maintaining her breathing the way Madara had taught her.

“Yeah.” Sasuke watched her breathe in and out in measured, confident gusts. “Hey so try this then, after the two punches do this.”

Sasuke punched right, then left, turned sideways and kicked out pivoting on one foot and holding his leg up and out into the air looking over at her. 

“See how long you can hold your leg out and in the air like this.” He told her, his leg still poised and lifted up at his side. Slowly he lowered it and looked at her again.

“Could you show me again please?” Sakura watched him redo the simple form.

“Okay, let me try.” She punched left, then right, pivoted and kicked out, her leg high and held it...and held it ...then slowly her leg began to lower and she moved back down into a regular standing position embarrassed.

“I guess I didn’t do very well.” Sakura blushed.

‘You did very well Sakura’, Madara smiled at the girl even if she couldn’t see him, he couldn’t hold it in, she was a very quick learner, she would do nicely…

“That was...amazing.” Sasuke whispered. “It took me 6 months to learn how to do it with the same precision you just did on your first try.”

Sasuke’s face turned red with a hint of jealousy. “Are you sure you haven’t had any training before this?”

“None.” Sakura watched the red recede from his cheeks as Shisui came over to them.

“That’s not bad little flower. “Care to do it again?”

Sakura nodded and performed the three part form again with even more accuracy than the previous time holding her leg up and out for Shisui to observe.

“I think we have a winner.” Shisui slapped Sasuke on the back. “Finish the lesson with the end of year forms for her first year, challenge her cousin.”

Sasuke’s mouth dropped open. He was doing the end of the first year forms, there was no way she was going to be able to do them. He turned to face the pink haired girl...was she?

Madara watched the rest of the class, glancing now and again at the instructor Shisui. 

‘This is the right school for you, be mindful, pay attention and learn as much as you can. We will do endurance training every morning before your schooling and then Martial Arts training every night after your homework is done until bedtime’ Madara told her as they walked back to her house together that evening.

Sakura nodded, flexing her fingers. She could feel it, the tingling. If she focused enough she could move it within her body, she could feel the pull and the push of it in her veins. “Thank you Madara Sama.”

Madara looked down at the girl as they walked, she had her hand out in front of her, palm up and was looking at it with a rare intensity, slowly he saw it, a small flicker, a light glow...of green chakra.

...and so her schedule continued. Sakura would wake at 5 am and run until she could run no more, shower, eat and go to the academy, then do her homework, go to the Martial Arts school and then train on her own until dinner, then train some more until bedtime.

A year passed before Madara thought she was ready to start training in her chakra control. Her chakra pools had opened, her stamina was excellent, her endurance admirable and her discipline was on par with his own. He was...proud of her. She was ready to start with the basics on chakra control.

Once he was sure she would advance in her training Madara had spent some time revisiting places of his youth, searching for the perfect training ground for her. It was imperative he find a place close enough for her to travel to and from home, secluded enough for no unwanted prying eyes but large enough to train her in more advanced jutsu as time progressed and her abilities grew.

Long ago, he and Hashirama had their final battle at the Valley of the end. The battle that Hashirama had won, sealing Madara to Konoha for an eternity. After Madara had died and his soul had been sealed, Hashirama had taken his body and hidden it away in a smaller valley on the underside of the waterfall, to be forever forgotten from history.

Only a small stone with the Leaf symbol overlaying an Uchiha fan decorated his grave marker. Hashirama had buried Madara himself and sealed his body with a protection seal stronger than the shinobi world had ever known in their time and all the times to come after them. Madara’s grave had endured, like his soul.

Now, together again, joined in the eyes of a pink haired girl of 7 years old they would rise again...as one body and one soul if everything went according to his plan.

Sealed off from the rest of the world under the spell of what the modern world called magic, they entered the Valley of Madara through the icy sheets of water that fell from the falls to flow through the Valley of the End. 

Sakura’s chakra allowed her to enter in the close proximity of Madara’s weaker pulsation of inner chakra. He had been pleased she could enter when he had first brought her here. Their close proximity and time spent together over the last year had been beneficial for both of them in many ways.

High cliffs, higher than any modern skyscraper, rose on either side of the slow moving river, a crack of blue over head in the distance told them it was day, but even the light of day did not touch the water this far down into the valley’s core. The modern day inhabitants called it the Abyss and never ventured near due to Hashirama’s seal and still powerful chakra signature.

Madara laughed at some of the modern notions he had encountered. The Land of Eddies was called the Bermuda Triangle and the tower of Kumo was called The Devil’s Peak. Old Wind country’s desert was now known as the Sahara...these civilians...if they only knew, if they could only remember…

He shook his spiky translucent locks and pushed his thoughts aside to focus on his student. She had been meditating as was their custom when first arriving at the valley, but now stood before him watching him patiently. She still couldn’t see him, not properly at least but she admitted she could see shadows sometimes.

Madara had laughed outright the first time she had felt him, seen his shadow and had called him Kage. He had grown fond of the girl over the last year, she was...special in many ways. 

She had been training when she had first seen his shadow. He had been watching her, critiquing her and then finally praised her with sincere pride in his voice and she had looked over her shoulder at him and had smiled. He had felt...connected, in a way that he hadn’t felt connected to anyone in a very long time.

“I can see you Madara, only you're a shadow, like...a Kage.” She had smiled at him, a toothless smile of a child full of trust and amusement. 

With her words he had felt a pain, somewhere where his heart should have been, if he still had one, but he dismissed it to scoff at her and to tell her she was wasting time and to continue her training. The feeling though..hadn’t left him, it had only grown.

‘The technique I am going to teach you today is called the walking on water technique’, Madara told her once they were inside of their secret valley.

Sakura’s eye lit up and she could barely repress the smile that broke out across her face as she looked at her Kage. “I was wondering if I would be able to do that!”

‘Of course you will be able to do it and so much more, this is a Genin technique. It will be much harder than anything you have ever done so far, but I fully expect you to master it in time. Using your chakra to fight, to move, to propel is like nothing you have ever trained in before. However, I know you can do it, I have known since the first day I met you’ , He said sternly.

Sakura nodded, her face falling from smiles to a more serious reserved sort of face, she was ready to learn how to control her chakra, she wouldn’t let him down, she needed to focus.

‘First, you must accumulate chakra in your feet. You can feel the push and the pull of the chakra moving in your chakra channels, like the blood in your veins correct?’ Madara asked her.

“Yes Madara Sama.” Sakura could feel it now, moving, ebbing and flowing throughout her body. The movement and recognition had become more natural to her over the last year making her confidence soar.

‘Good, now push it and pull it, move it to your feet...infuse it to your soles’, he instructed.

‘Can you feel the chakra pooling in your feet?’ He asked her after a few moments.

“Yes Madara Sama.” Sakura’s mouth twitched, she could barely control her excitement.

Madara smiled to himself...she reminded him of Izuna, again. ‘Try it, try to walk on the river behind us, maintain your focus, the current is slow but the river is deep’, He warned her.

Sakura nodded and walked slowly toward the edge of the river where the water licked the grass and the small rocks that lined the shore, keeping her focus on her feet she stepped down onto the surface of the water. Hesitantly, she took a deep breath and stepped down fully, stumbling slightly, fully expecting her foot to go through the water plunging her into the wet and cold...but it didn’t.

“Madara Sama! Look Madara Sama!” Sakura squealed as she stood just above the water's surface, the current moving lazily past the underside of her feet making small ripples as it broke around her elevated weight.

‘You did it on your first try’, Madara was amazed. Of course he had done it on his first try but that was him, centuries ago when shinobi were common and chakra was abundant.

“I did it!” Sakura jumped into the air, her eyes opened wide at her mistake a second too late and she plunged feet first into the water, her little head bobbing in the current gasping for breath as she was pulled down stream.

‘Sakura!’, Madara ran along the river bank. ‘Move your chakra to your palms girl and push yourself up out of the water!’ He called out to her.

“Madara Sama!” Sakura screamed, the weight of her clothes pulling her under. “Madara Sama help me!” 

‘Damn it’, Madara couldn’t do anything, he didn’t even have a body...without giving it a second thought he jumped into the water after the girl, willing his arms to move the water around him.

Sakura gasped for breath as the river’s surface rose around her ears and mouth. She could see the outline of her Master as he made his way to her slowly, too slowly. Her head went under, the current pulling at her shoes dragging her down below the surface, below the ridge and under the rocks that separated the outside world from Madara’s valley.

‘Sakura!’, Madara called out the little girl’s name as her head went under. ‘Damn it!’

Madara didn’t know what to do, so he did the first thing that came to his mind...he prayed. ‘Kami please give me the strength to save her…’

Like a breath of fresh air, a surge of chakra flowed through his channels and he ‘felt’ the water move around him. He pushed with his arms and pushed himself through the water, under the ridge to where he had last seen the flicker of pink.

Sakura couldn’t hold her breath any longer and her vision was going dim. Her little arms flailed about her pushing against the rocks of the underwater ridge, against the closure too small for her little body to fit through under the base of the rock that separated Madara’s Valley from the Valley of the End. She closed her eyes, her tears mixing with the river’s water as it pulled against her little body, the pressure building up inside of her lungs...she let loose her last breath of air.

Strong arms pulled at her legs, then her arms...her eyes opened and she saw the shadow of black hair and red eyes. 

Her body was light and weightless as Madara pulled it out from under the hard granite ridge and carried her back up to the surface of the river, his head breaking the surface in a gasp...air. He was breathing air...no not breathing but...something...different than the breathless facade of the centuries prior.

Madara gave it no more thought as he laid Sakura’s small body out on the grass before him. She lay still, immobile...he placed his mouth over hers and prayed again, ‘kami, let her breathe again’, and blew, pressing his palms to her chest, pinching her nose then breathing into her once more as he had seen the medics of his time do on drowning victims.

A moan. A small gurgle of water escaped her lips...and then she was choking and crying in his arms...his arms that held her to his chest as she wept.

‘Sakura, are you alright?’ Madara set the girl back down on the ground and checked her for injuries as she rubbed her eyes.

“Madara Sama?” Sakura looked up at the man before her, his outline more defined, his red eyes passing over her small frame. “I can see you more.”

She reached out her hand and touched his face lightly. “I can touch you!” She smiled.

“How?” She asked him, green eyes staring at him wide with surprise and adoration.

‘I don’t know’, He told her, not quite sure what to think of the situation. He hadn’t taken any of her chakra, he had swore to himself he would never do that to her. It wasn’t necessary for his end goals...if she released the seal, he would have all the chakra he needed.

“Thank you for saving me Madara Sama.” Sakura let her hand fall from Madara’s face and took several careful breaths, her throat and chest hurt and there was a pain in her leg. Looking down she saw that she was bleeding. “Oh!”

‘I will wrap it for you, it will heal’ Madara stood up, reaching down with his hand to pull her to her feet. ‘Let’s get you home, we are done for today.’

“Yes Madara Sama.” Sakura smiled up at the man before her, his wet black hair flat and sleek down his back, his red eyes fading to coal as she watched him shake his head like a dog, making his hair spike out at the ends and over his face.

“So, you really are Madara Uchiha huh.” Sakura hummed, her light green eyes fixed to his darker ones.

‘I am. Does that scare you Sakura, now that the proof of the man I am stands before you?’ He asked the young girl.

“No Madara Sama. It is good. Good to know I was right to follow you.” Sakura smiled up at Madara who smiled down at her.

Madara felt that pain again, in his chest, right over where his heart should be as he looked down at the girl and again, he ignored it.

Sakura watched as his frame began to fade, she looked down to her hand as his fingers started to lose their grip and pass through her own...he was no longer solid, no longer...there. He had returned to the spirit, the ghost of a soul once more...but his shadow was more...defined, hazy but still there.

“Madara Sama, you’re fading again.” She said quietly.

‘So it would seem’, his voice held none of the disappointment he felt...it had been nice, touching something living again, if only for a moment.


	6. Chapter 6

Time passed...as it always does. Seasons changed, years came and went, and Sakura grew into a beautiful young lady. Her martial arts skills were respectable by Madara’s standard, advanced by Shisui’s and too good by Sasuke’s.

Madara watched with amusement as Sakura pinned his very distant relative down for the second time that morning. The two thirteen year old had made it a habit to spar every Saturday morning after Sakura’s usual endurance training...and she beat Sasuke every time much to the boy’s embarrassment. He was determined to beat her, one day.

While Madara admired the boy’s determination he was infinitely more proud of his student’s success...the boy would never catch up to her. She outshone him for miles in both skill and intellect.

At age ten Madara had started her battle tactics and strategy training. He took her to the library and had her read volume after volume of battle technique, battles long past and the biographies of military leaders both feudal and modern. Train the body and the mind, he would tell her over and over. He was pleased to learn she was just as clever in her academics as she was in her more physically demanding lessons.

She excelled...beyond his already previously established high expectations…

No, Sasuke didn’t stand a chance against the girl who had already planned out her next ten moves and five contingency moves depending on his own strategy. Madara found she could read something once and repeat it back to him word for word...a photographic memory they called it in this modern time, a prodigy in his time.

Sakura didn’t have the sharingan of course but she could see a form, a technique once, perhaps twice and then copy it almost as accurately as the demonstrator. 

Madara had grown as well in their time together, no longer a shadow, but a defined, if still translucent image...she called him her shadow ghost, much to his annoyance. He had in this state been able to expand her chakra training past the Genin level techniques of walking on water, tree climbing and other minor jutsu.

Every six months for the last seven years he tested her, pushed her...broke her. Always, always pushing her to do more, to be better...to conquer...she had yet to disappoint him. 

Her schedule was grueling, her determination fierce and her potential only seemed to grow as she absorbed more and more information and skills, everything that he had to offer her. It was time, he thought, to teach her the next level of jutsu, to extend her knowledge yet again past Chunin to Jounin.

‘Sakura, enough playing, it is time for your real training. I am going to teach you a new technique today’, Madara called out to her as she pinned Sasuke down again, for the third time that morning.

“Sorry Sasuke, but I need to get going. It was fun, see you in class Monday.” Sakura rose to her feet and stuck her hand out to the boy.

“Where are you going, you always do this, you just leave and never tell me where you’re going.” He complained, and not for the first time.

“I told you before Sasuke, I’m Training.” Sakura rolled her eyes at the boy.

“Why can’t I come with you? Where do you train?” He had asked her many times before but she never gave him a straight answer, he had even tried to follow her a few times to no avail. She always led him to a dead end, it was as if she knew he was following her and did it on purpose. 

Other times he had run as fast as he could but somehow she had run faster and evaded him. It was so confusing to him. All she ever did was train. She didn’t even hang out with Ino anymore, and they had once been best friends.

Privately he was happy that she still agreed to spar with him every Saturday and that she still attended martial arts class even though she was better than all of the current instructors... She never paid any of the boys any attention at school and he hadn’t heard of her dating anyone or that she was even interested in anyone.

“I told you, I prefer to train alone when I am trying to learn something new.” Sakura tried to smile at her friend. It was getting harder and harder to shake him off as the years progressed. He had become more and more nosy, following her, trying to trick her into telling him where she went all the time...she saw through all of his tricks of course, but it was still...annoying.

“You’re not um...meeting someone are you?” Sasuke’s nose went slightly red and his ears had started to pinken.

“Huh?” Sakura paused in tying her shoulder pack across her body and gave him an odd look. Did he know about Madara? Impossible…

“You know, like a guy?” Sasuke grit his teeth preparing for the worst.

“A guy? Why would I be meeting a guy?” Sakura’s look of confusion made Madara chuckle beside her.

‘He wants to know if you have a romantic interest, Sakura. I believe the boy has a crush on you’, Madara gave the boy a measured look. She didn’t have time for boys, she had more training to focus on. He was so close now to his goal, he didn’t need hormones getting in the way.

“Oh, well, that’s good.” Sasuke was pleased with her answer.

“Yeah, well, see you.” Sakura patted her bag and walked off the field they had been in just outside of the village proper toward the woods.

“See you later.” Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets blushing and looking down at his feet.

As soon as she was in the cover of the woods Sakura’s feet burst with the accumulated skill of her training and she raced through the trees like Madara had shown her, her feet touching down briefly only to kick back off of every third or fourth branch. The run that used to take over twenty minutes now only took her five.

‘That boy is too interested in you. I do not care for his intentions toward you Sakura’, Madara crossed his arms over his chest as they walked under the waterfall and into Madara’s Valley.

Sakura sighed. They have had this conversation before as well. “I am not interested in boys Madara Sama, remember I agreed with you, that my training was the most important thing right now. We need to release the seal that the second Hokage placed on your shrine to restore your chakra to you. I want this as much as you do Madara Sama.”

Madara nodded, satisfied. ‘Sasuke is not to your standard anyway. You need a shinobi and one of a much higher caliber than that boy could ever hope to be’, Madara said smugly.

“There are no more shinobi Madara Sama.” Sakura pulled her pack off and over her head, setting it on the ground and stretching before falling into a sitting position to meditate as usual.

‘After you release my seal, there will be’, Madara said thoughtfully.

“Just you.” Sakura laughed and closed her eyes concentrating on her breathing as Madara sat down beside her and started to meditate with her.

‘Perhaps not’, Madara said thoughtfully, his eyes opening as he watched the young girl meditate.

For some time now Madara had been going to the Naka Shrine without Sakura to study, then restudy the seal that Bastard Tobirama had placed on the meeting hall stone marker. He began to wonder at the different possibilities the seal offered. The basic of course was that the seal sent him back to the time when Hashirama had first sealed him, making his civilian purgatory start over again...however what if, he weren’t a ghost but fully functional and...himself again.

Madara pushed the thoughts from his mind as Sakura rose to her feet, threw her arms out in front of her and cracked her knuckles. 

“By the way Madara Sama, I read those old scrolls you found for me in the library’s historical section again about Lady Tsunade and her medical jutsu. I hadn’t ever considered it before you came into my life of course but the more I train and the stronger I get the more I feel like I should, I don’t know, learn how to heal myself. What if I get hurt and no one in this modern time can heal me, or knows how to heal a chakra inflicted wound if I hurt myself during training...I would be screwed.” She tapped her fingers against her leg.

‘Yes, it is a good thought, however, I am unable to instruct you in the ways of the healing art. My clan was not known for it’s healers’, He told her.

‘Pursue it if you wish, but remember not to push yourself too far, like you said, there is no one here who can help you with chakra depletion. I do not have enough of my own to infuse in you to keep you from death’ Madara reminded her.

“I understand Madara Sama. Thank you, but you know, I could infuse some of my chakra into you, couldn’t I?” She cocked her head to the side and looked at the shadow of a man before her with interest.

‘I admit, your chakra pools have grown considerably but you still do not have enough to waste it on infusing it into me...I would require more than you have to be even moderately functional, it is better used in your training’, He smiled at her. She was a thoughtful girl.

“Are your chakra reserves that large Madara Sama?” She was amazed yet again at her Master. All of the texts she had read seemed to be true, he had been...one of the strongest shinobi of his time, if not all time aside from his friend and enemy Hashirama Senju.

‘Yes’, He said simply.

‘Enough of that. You may practice your new interest in medical jutsu after you master this new technique’, Madara waved her to stand beside him.

‘The technique I am going to teach you is called ‘Multi Shadow clone’. You know the names and the signs by now. The hand signs for this jutsu are’, Madara made the hand signs for her before continuing.

‘It is important to understand that this jutsu can be dangerous. It uses your chakra to divide it among however many clones you produce and will drain your chakra quickly if you are not careful. I would like you to concentrate on forming only two for right now. At present your reserves can handle ...10 perhaps but until you master the jutsu I only want you to summon two at a time’, Madara nodded for her to proceed.

“Multi shadow clone jutsu.” Sakura made the hand signs and two shadow clones poofed into existence one on either side of her. 

“Amazing.” She whispered.

‘Indeed you are my dear’ Madara smiled at the girl.

No matter how many jutsu she mastered or how many times she did it, she was still amazed at her ability to use chakra. Growing up in a world where it was no more to find that she could summon, manipulate and focus chakra into substance was...amazing. She didn’t think she would ever get used to it.

With a small pop the clones disappeared.

“Aww. What happened?” Sakura complained.

‘You must maintain focus and chakra control to make independently stable clones. Do it again’, Madara smiled. She was used to performing a jutsu once and mastering it, with these more advanced jutsu she would have to put forth more effort than she was used to, thus building her chakra pools and experience at the same time.

“I did it!” Sakura crowed after her 5th attempt...the shadow clones no longer popped without her permission.

‘Excellent, they remain stable...as I would expect from you Sakura. Your chakra control is admirable. There is an added bonus to using such a technique. Today, your training triples.’ He chuckled as Sakura’s jaw dropped open in surprise.

“...but Madara Sama, I train all the time as it is, there is no more time in the day for me to train anymore.” She began to protest.

‘They’, Madara waved a hand to the clones. ‘Will train for you while you are in school or at the dojo.. Each morning after your run you will summon two shadow clones and send one to train here, in my valley and the other to the library to read while you go about your current schedule. Do you understand?’

“You mean...I will gain all of their knowledge and training even if I'm not there?” She asked him unsure if she was understanding him correctly. It seemed too good to be true.

‘Exactly’, Madara nodded.

“Wow.” Sakura grinned. “That’s great! I wish I could have done this before!” She giggled and hugged herself.

‘You didn’t have enough chakra before. Two will suffice for now and not drain your chakra terribly’, Madara was pleased with her progress.

‘Another benefit to shadow clones in a world where there are no other chakra users, Sakura, is having a real sparing partner now to push you to your limits. Evade dear’, Madara nodded to the two clones who grinned and jumped into the air flipping and turning fists out, charging toward Sakura who had barely jumped into the air in time to avoid the dual blows to her head.

‘Continue. I will return shortly’, Madara walked to the edge of the river where it disappeared under the crush of granite that separated his valley from the End’s and paused. ‘Remember what I told you, if you deplete your chakra to quickly or too much, you will die’

Sakura nodded as she blocked a blow to her side, pulling a kunai from her pouch that Madara had given her for her 8th birthday, to deflect the kunai thrown by her other clone as Madara left the valley.

Time had moved slowly for him in the beginning of his sealed purgatory but now, with Sakura time seemed to move too quickly. It seemed like only yesterday she was a weak little crying six year old, but now she was thirteen and a young lady with a deadly striking accuracy and a sharper intellect to match. Soon...he told himself, soon she would be strong enough to open the seal, and release him from these chains that bound him to this world.

Only...he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to happen now. His original intent had been to use her chakra for himself. He had planned to siphon her chakra from her, killing her and breaking the seal to regain his chakra from the secret room in the meeting room, now however ...he found the very thought of killing the girl...repulsive.

Madara found himself wishing to protect her, to help her grow stronger, to...Madara cleared his throat as he walked under the Naka Shine’s old pillars and sat down over the old meeting room buried beneath the earth.

He considered a new plan...he wanted to...take her with him when he went...back. She didn’t belong here in a world without chakra, alone with no one to relate to, no one to guide her...she belonged with him, with other shinobi...if he left, she would be alone.

Madara closed his eyes to meditate and ponder this new...feeling. He would need a physical body. Tobirama’s seal would transport him back in time to when Hashirama had sealed him...he would need to exchange chakra with Sakura so that she would be transported back with him...would she come? Was he being selfish again? He could give her a better life if she...came with him and yet it would also be a more violent life...a bloody life.

Could a girl that was born in this modern day, this age...adapt and thrive in the feudal times? Could he, Madara validate his intentions by his...need, his desire to keep her with him by saying he would protect her and give her more than she could ever have if she stayed here, alone, without him?

Yes.

Madara opened his eyes. She needed to be stronger. He hadn’t been exaggerating when he had told her she didn’t have enough chakra to give him...but she would...and he would help her. Then, she could help him.

Time passed again and Sakura grew, her chakra pools expanded as did her jutsu mastery skills. Madara spent less and less time with her while she trained, not for lack of interest, but because he was no longer needed.

At the age of nineteen, Sakura was now her own master, having trained herself in medical jutsu, and after having mastered every jutsu Madara had taught her and then every jutsu she could find in the ancient texts and scrolls in the Konoha archives...she was ready.

Madara had spoken to her several times over the years about his theory, of his intentions making sure she fully understood the gravity of her decision...should she wish to join him. He had too many of his own regrets and did not wish any on her...if he could help it.

She was sitting beside the river in his valley, her feet kicking gently making small ripples in the surface, as he approached her. She had grown into a beautiful woman. If he hadn’t known her as a child, hadn’t trained her himself, he might have found her beauty distracting and may have thought of pursuing her after he had his physical body back...as it was, she would forever be that cute wide eyed little six year old he had met at the Konoha museum.

Sakura turned her head, sensing his approach. He was a handsome man, Madara, she had always thought so ever since the day in the Principal’s office when she and Ino had looked up at the painting of the founders. His long hair suited him. It was wild, like his personality, it was...exciting like his strength. Sakura bit her bottom lip as he drew closer. She pushed those thoughts from her head...again. He would only ever see her as a child, not as the woman she had become.

Madara sat down beside her and looked out across his valley. It was time. She was stronger...he was stronger. Slowly and only a little at a time he had her infuse her chakra into his chakra channels behind his eyes where his chakra was the strongest. Every few days they would repeat the process until eventually her chakra submitted to his more dominant chakra, and became his. Over time the chakra built up and began to multiply, slowly filling his reserves. As long as he didn’t use any of it...it would be enough.

These last few years had been the start of many changes for them. She had graduated from High School and he had materialized into a solid form thanks to her chakra and his strong will. Not only could she see him now, but others could as well. 

Sakura laughed thinking about their last year together. It must have been on both of their minds because he smiled when she spoke.

“I’ll never forget the time you first, we first realized others could see you. I thought they were staring at me because I put my shirt on backwards or something.” She giggled.

“Yes. Your quick thinking worked wonderfully my dear. I still do not understand the significance of a ‘cos-play’, but most of the villagers seemed to find it amusing and had accepted your excuse for my less than modern dress.” Madara inclined his head to Sakura with a smile.

“It’s weird seeing you in modern clothes Madara.” Sakura blushed a little as she looked him over. He looked good in his dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to three quarters, his dark jeans and his boots. He was young. Growing up she had always seen him as an adult but now that she was older...he was no more than six years older than her, if that. 

“Soon enough it will not matter. I have something for you. So you do not suffer the same as I did. Although, you would be met with suspicion if not outright violence dressed as you are now.” Madara nodded to her skinny jeans and tank top with a bunny on it giving a high five to a turtle.

Madara handed her a small package, wrapped in plain paper and a long box.

“What is this Madara?” Sakura asked , having dropped the honorific at his request a year or so ago.

“For our...journey.” His dark eyes watched her for any sign of doubt, hesitancy or fear...he found none and relaxed.

Sakura unwrapped the paper package first, shaking out a kunoichi kimono with pants, a pouch for her weapons, a pouch for her medic supplies, a sash and chest wraps.

“You are not an Uchiha but...I wanted you to have this as well.” Madara waved her forward and clasped a small necklace around her neck.

Sakura looked down to see a delicate Uchiha fan outlined with diamond chips, rubies and gold. “Madara, it’s beautiful, thank you.” She smiled up at him through her lashes making him cough in embarrassment.

“Happy 20th birthday Sakura.” 

“Thank you Madara. Where did you get it?”” Sakura thumbed the pendant once more before turning her attention to the long box.

“The museum, it’s mine.” They had spoken of him taking back his possessions before when he had taken the kunai and shuriken for her eighth birthday and the newspapers and local T.v stations had thrown a fit.

“Oh!” She gasped as she lifted the top from the bottom of the box to reveal a beautifully hand crafted longsword.

“Madara.” Sakura hummed her excitement as she pulled the sword from the box and then the blade from its scabbard.

“Bloody it, so it knows its owner and it’s purpose.” He instructed, pleased with her reaction.

With her thumb to the blade she pressed lightly and ran it along the length of the sword, bloodying her first blade.

Sheathing the sword, she stood and walked into the woods to change her clothes. Madara was still by the river when she returned with her things.

“Tie the sword to your back how I showed you and seal your things in here. I found it in the museum, no one knows what it is, no one will miss it.” He handed her a storage scroll for her to seal her belongings in.

“Go home, make your...amends and then meet me at the Naka Shrine at midnight, we will leave then and...I will show you my world, your new world.” Taking her hand, he quickly drew her in for a hug. “If...you do not come...I will not blame you.”

Sakura nodded, her heart in her throat. So, it was time.


	7. Chapter 7

With her sword tied to her back she walked down the streets of Konoha for what she hoped would be the last time. She had put a lot of thought into her decision and she knew she had to go. Not only for Madara, but for herself. She didn’t belong here, in this time. She belonged there, with him, with other chakra users...with shinobi. 

Madara assured her of her skills but she had yet to test them against someone other than Madara, other than her clones. She was going with him.

Madara worried that she didn’t understand the weight of such a decision but she did. She had read the text, had seen the paintings depicting the battles she would face, the blood and the violence. Her sight was clear of any rose tint and her mind had been made up for over a year now. She was sure.

The lack of amenities she could accept, she had never been a prissy girl, not like Ino. The only thing that worried her...she laughed a humorless laugh as she opened the door to her parents house for the last time...was the etiquette of the times. She...was a modern woman and she knew that women’s rights were no such thing in the time she planned on traveling with Madara.

Madara had treated her like a child when she was a child and a woman when she turned eighteen, but underneath the respect there was still a tad of misplaced chauvinistic upbringing that he couldn’t shake no matter how long he had been in their modern times, it didn’t matter that he had witnessed the emergence of women’s rights first hand over the space of time.

She was however pleased when he told her that kunoichi, female shinobi, were treated with a little more respect, if only by the civilians, when warning her of the many differences of their times. He had tried to prepare her as much as he could. Sakura ran her fingers through her hair. It was long now, very long in preparation for her travel to the past.

Madara had scoffed, commented and scorned her four years ago when she had met him at the training grounds with her ‘new’ short hair. He had grown angry with her, claiming women of substance did not cut their hair so short, that whores and servants had short hair so as not to hinder their profession. He had demanded she grow it back out, as though he had taken it as a personal insult to his mentoring...so she did.

Sakura climbed the stairs to her bedroom, pulled the storage scroll from her pouch and laid it open on her bed. Madara told her she would know when the scroll was full...because she wouldn’t be able to seal anything more into it…she laughed. 

Sometimes, he still treated her like a child. She had long since surpassed even his own knowledge in seals. Her studies of the ancient texts in the Konoha archives of the Second Hokage had proven more than useful. Her clone had spent months in the archives reading through notes, drawings and scrolls from Madara’s time, from the Senju and the Uzumaki...she was a sealing Master of her own making.

It had been a treasure trove of information. Madara had laughed at her surprise when she hadn’t met any resistance breaking into the archives.

‘Who would set a guard for old dusty folklore, they have no idea what invaluable information this is. Too bad, I would have liked to teach you infiltration on a higher level...as it is, you’ll have to settle for me’ He had grinned and she had groaned. 

Training with Madara was always a challenge, fulfilling in the end, but a painful challenge nonetheless.

Slowly she moved around her room sealing clothes and makeup into the scroll, bras and underwear that she had purchased for this trip, and dried goods such as ramen and meats. Madara had assured her none of those things would be needed but she insisted, claiming that if she got lost or was ever without him she might need it. He told her, under no circumstances would he let her out of his sight for a very long time after their arrival...for her own safety.

She was reassured but it still hadn’t kept her from preparing for the worst. So she grabbed medical supplies, tooth brushes, toothpaste and all the other ‘basics’, sealing them into the scroll. She stood and looked around her room for the last time. She would miss her home, but not as much as others might. For so long her whole world had been, Madara.

She pulled the letter from her pouch that she had written to her parents. They wouldn’t be back for another month, both gone on business. They were traders for a multinational brokerage company and were seldom home now that she was older. She loved them, especially her father but she didn’t need them anymore, hadn’t needed them for a very long time...and they would miss her but they too would be fine without her.

Sakura walked back downstairs to look around her living room and kitchen once more, turned and opened her front door to leave only to be startled by Sasuke whose hand was in the air, about to knock.

“Oh! Sasuke, um, can I help you?” Sakura smoothed her hair down nervously.

“What are you wearing? Are you going somewhere?” Sasuke took in her clothes and the sword on her back. “Why are you dressed like an anime character Sakura?”

“Oh uh, you know, for fun.” Sakura blushed, she had planned on going to the dango shop on the corner for one last taste of her favorite treat before going back in time...she hadn’t expected Sasuke to show up at her door this late in the evening. “I was going to the dango shop, um, want to join me?”

Sasuke smiled a slow smile. “Yeah.” 

Sakura pulled her key from her pocket and locked her parent’s front door for the last time and smiled at Sasuke. He had been asking her out for the last five years, the least she could do before she left him forever was to have dango with him...she supposed.

“So, why are you dressed like that? Are you meeting someone later?” He asked in his usual passive aggressive way of fishing for clues on her love life...her non-existent love life.

“I’m not meeting anyone I just felt like dressing like this, maybe more people should. It's kinda nice actually.” She really liked the clothes Madara had given her and briefly wondered where he had gotten them. They were form fitting but breathable and the dark blues and blacks of the fabric made her natural pastel pink hair shine against her naturally pale complexion.

“You look really nice, it's just not many people wear those kinds of clothes anymore, except for festivals.” Sasuke thought she looked beautiful in his clan colors.

Since Madara had gotten his physical body back, more or less, he would show up from time to time with some present or gift for her. It was usually something practical such as a weapon or book of some sort. Sometimes she would see his aftermath on the news…’Ancient family heirloom stolen’, or ‘Another break in at the Konoha Museum’. 

When asked, he would shrug. “They are mine still even if their current owners disagree”, and she supposed they were, only...it made her feel slightly guilty accepting the gifts.

Sakura and Sasuke sat across from one another at the small table in the dango shop drinking their tea and eating their dango. Sasuke had tried to engage her in conversation but her mind was elsewhere. He wondered what was distracting her, she didn’t seem herself and it wasn’t just her new clothes or the sword.

“Is...something going on, Sakura?” He asked her after they had left the dango shop and were walking side by side toward the park.

“Huh? No, nothing, sorry Sasuke but I need to go okay. Thanks for the dango. It was really nice uh, I’ll see you.” Sakura bit her bottom lip, leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for being there for me, bye Sasuke.”

Sasuke swallowed, bringing his fingers to his face where she had kissed him...what? It almost sounded like she was...leaving. “Sakura.” He called out to her but she was already gone, running through the park toward the Naka Shrine and to the past.

Madara was waiting for her when she got there, standing with his arms crossed over his chest, looking down at the sealing stone. “You came. You’re early.” His voice was strong, deep and steady, everything he wasn’t feeling at that moment...what if it didn’t work, what if something happened?

“Of course I came, Madara.” Sakura stood beside him and looked down at the stone. “I’m ready.” He nodded.

“When you break the seal, we will not have much time. I will need to gather my things that I collected before Tobirama sealed the shrine and siphon the chakra from the storage scrolls I collected, then we will leave...together.” He instructed.

“Yes Madara.” Sakura understood, she would wait here by the entrance for him.

“Break the seal to the shrine, girl.” Madara stepped to the side to give her some space as she placed her left hand on the seal of the Second Hokage and made the signs of severance with her right while infusing her chakra into the seal.

Madara watched as the edges of the seal began to lift and separate from the stone, he watched as Sakura scrunched up her face and bit her bottom lip in concentration...she was really doing it...it was finally happening. He held his breath.

Slowly the seal was peeled from the stone and fell harmlessly to the ground in front of them. The earth before them broke apart and revealed an old stone stairway down to the old Uchiha meeting room.

“Well done.” Madara kissed the top of Sakura’s head as the breath left his lungs...he felt stronger already... “Rest, that took a lot of your chakra, I will return shortly, wait here.” 

His steps were light and swift as he moved down the stairs into the open meeting room, the lanterns on the walls lit in his presence but he had no time to revel in the nostalgia. Moving quickly he made the hand signs and focused his little bit of siphoned chakra from Sakura into the seal on the wall behind the altar, his altar, and opened his hidden room.

It was just as he had left it. His gun bai hung on the wall...it had been waiting for him and he was more than a little happy to see it again, to touch it and feel it in his grasp. A wild grin split his face as he moved about the room sealing all of his gathered possessions into scrolls. 

Finally, he came to stand before the scrolls filled with the siphons chakra over the years before that bastard albino had placed his demonic seal on his family shrine.

One by one Madara released the scrolls and siphoned the chakra stored within. He could feel his power returning, he could feel the beating of his heart again as the chakra filled his channels and spread out along his coils. The pressure was building up behind his eyes wanting to be used...his eyes spun once, then twice forming the mangekyo sharingan of the days of his prime.

Sakura kicked a small stone beside the stairway and looked down into the tunnel, she could see a light at the end and wondered how much longer Madara would be. Surely they didn’t have much more time. Hugging her arms around her she looked at the park surrounding them, she would miss it, if she were honest.

Sakura felt him before she saw him.

“Sakura.” 

Sakura spun on her heel, she hadn’t even seen him walk back up the stairs. A strong pulsation hit her without warning and she fell to her knees. “Madara? Is that...your chakra signature?” She gasped for air, she could barely breathe. It was so powerful. It was like nothing she had ever felt before.

“My apologies dear, it has been centuries since I have felt ...myself.” Slowly the pressure faded as he reigned his chakra in and around him, suppressing it for her sake.

“Are you ready dear?” He asked her once she had risen to her feet again.

“Yes Madara.” Sakura tried to smile, placing the seal back on the stone as they had discussed and sealing it with her right hand.

Madara nodded and turned to her taking her hands in his. “We will exchange chakra, you will need a certain amount of my chakra in you, unchanged chakra, to pass through the seal with me. It will need to recognize it as mine and not yours, otherwise, it may not work.”

Sakura understood, they had spoken of it many times in the past year through their preparations.

“Are you ready Sakura?” His dark eyes looked down at her, searching for a hint of unease, for any sign that she wasn’t ready to do this, that she might still change her mind. It was imperative that her mind was strong, her will of steel for this to work, for both of them to pass through the transportation seal safely.

“I’m ready Madara.” Sakura tried to smile but she was nervous, this was it, all of her hard work, her grueling training was all for this moment. “Transfer your chakra into me.”

Madara smiled. “I’m...proud of you Sakura. Close your eyes, love, this will hurt a bit. My chakra is much stronger and much more dense than yours.”

Sakura nodded, her eyes closed and took a deep breath. She could feel it, his chakra, his essence, such a powerful energy... seeping into her veins, into her chakra channels pulling at her capacity to contain it, it was dense like he said but also...darker, more...controlling. Sakura bit her bottom lip as the pain seared her coils, it felt like...fire, like she was being burned from the inside...as though he were consuming her.

“You’re doing well, now place your hands on the seal, I will place my hands on you. Infuse the seal with your chakra as well as your will...and send us back, back to my time when Hashirama sealed my soul to the Village Hidden in the Leaves.” Madara’s voice seemed far away as though she were floating farther and farther away from him. The hands on her shoulders tightened...and she realized she had almost passed out.

“Focus dear. You can do it. Now Sakura, do it. Now!” Madara commanded and she shot her chakra down into her palms and slammed them into the seal of the stone marker, pushing her will to break it into the stone, the seal and the air around them.

Madara watched as her hair began to lift and crack with the pressure of their combined chakra and then a burst of light, white and piercing, as pure and stricken as the scream that ripped from Sakura’s throat…

He could have laughed but no sound came from him as he felt his heart lighten, Hashirama’s soul binding seal broke and burned away...he was free...finally.

It was like a vacuum, they were being sucked into a smaller universe, the pull of gravity confounding them. 

She felt like her bones were breaking and pushed more chakra into her limbs, her head spun. Madara was there, she could feel his hands on her shoulders still, could feel his presence behind her. In the distance of the seemingly endless void, she heard a woman screaming, only when she felt the slip of Madara’s fingers from her shoulders did she realize, the woman screaming , was her. 

His hands fell away from her, panic built up inside of her breast, she couldn’t do this without him.

‘Like water in a drain’, she thought as her consciousness slipped in and out of the void.

‘I’m dead.’, she gasped out as her body hit something hard, she rolled and felt the pattering of cold and wet upon her face. “Rain.” She muttered before her brain failed her and she fell into a deep sleep, exhausted.

He was in the Valley of the End, again...but which one, the modern one or…

Madara rose to his feet in the water...and leapt into the air pushing off of the water with his chakra. He closed his eyes just for a moment...he was whole again. Landing without a sound atop the cliff of the valley’s waterfall he looked out toward Konoha. There weren’t any skyscrapers, no modern wires or buildings, he smiled...he was home. Only...where was Sakura…

He could feel her, it was faint but it was there, moving quickly he dropped from the cliff and ran across the water of the valley, another chakra signature was moving toward her fast, a familiar...annoying chakra signature. 

Madara grinned, it was time for the world to know...Madara Uchiha had returned to the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

“It’s raining.” She lifted her hand to her head and pressed her fingers into her temples.

“How observant of you. Who are you?” A deep voice demanded of her.

Sakura leapt to her feet, her arms at the ready, stumbled and fell to the ground again in pain.

“A kunoichi?” The deep voice said suspiciously. “What village are you from?”

‘Shit’, Sakura groaned internally, where was Madara...her strength hadn’t returned and she had used far too much chakra, more than they had anticipated it would take to bring them here. 

Then, she felt him. “Madara!” She yelled out for her mentor.

“Madara Uchiha is no more girl, what is your connection to him?” The man demanded again, taking several steps closer and pulling a kunai from his pouch.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the man.

“It’s good to see you again Tobirama. I see your manners haven’t changed in my...absence.” 

Tobirama spun on his heel throwing the kunai faster than Sakura would have suspected possible if she hadn’t seen Madara do it before. There was someone as good as Madara? No, he was slower but still a good deal more skilled than herself. So, this was the Second Hokage...the one who had made all those seals, whose notes she had studied...interesting.

“I see you’ve met my student.” Madara said conversationally, waving a hand to Sakura who was now standing, if a bit unsteadily.

“Your student?” Tobirama looked from Sakura to Madara in understanding. “You broke Hashirama’s seal.”

“Sakura broke his seal, as well as the demonic seal you placed on the Naka Shrine but you don’t remember doing that yet, having done it in the future after your brother’s death.” Madara gloated a bit. 

“Come Sakura, allow me to show you the Konoha that I know, the Konoha Hashirama and I built together. I think you will find it much more appealing than the one you know.” Madara held his hand out to Sakura who looked at it puzzled. He had never wanted her to hold his hand before. With a quick glance at Tobirama, Sakura took Madara’s hand.

“Where are you going?” Tobirama demanded.

“I’ve just said, Konoha.” Madara looked down at Sakura dismissing Tobirama. “There is someone I would like you to meet, love.”

Sakura looked back over her shoulder at Tobirama who was glaring at both of them, his arms held at his side. She could see the raw tension around his mouth and eyes as he watched them walk away, then his body flickered and he was gone.

“He disappeared, was that his flying thunder god technique Madara?” Sakura was amazed.

“Yes.” Madara chuckled at her enthusiasm. 

“How are you feeling? I see that your chakra is drained and you are fatigued. I will take you back to the compound, but first, we must meet up with an old friend of mine.” He patted her hand and let it fall back down to her side.

“Hashirama?” Sakura asked excitedly.

“Yes, Hashirama.” Madara’s tone held a small note of pleasure and she marveled at the sound.

“You missed him didn’t you.” She smiled at the small twitch of his mouth.

“I did, but it is best not to let him know that, at least not right away.” Madara warned her. 

“You’re in a different time now Sakura, it will take some getting used to but I am here for you. I have trained you to be strong. You’ll do just fine love.” Madara smiled at her as they approached the gates to Konoha. Gates Sakura had only seen in pictures in the museum.

“Incredible.” She murmured.

Madara chuckled again, it was good to be home. He watched her eyes as they sparkled, taking in sights she had only seen in pictures.

“Oh my gosh!” Sakura clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from embarrassing herself as a team of shinobi ran past her and into the village leaping up onto the rooftops and running toward the central most tower along the back of the cliffside.

“Welcome to Konoha Sakura.” Madara placed his hand on her shoulder and directed her to the gates where two guards stood looking at them.


	8. Chapter 8

She felt like she was dreaming but she knew it wasn’t a dream. The man beside her stood tall and strong as they walked casually down the main street of Konoha toward the tower set along the back of the village.

Eyes followed them. Whispers could be heard between gasps as people stepped aside and let them pass down the busy street untouched, unmolested.

“Is that him?” A man was heard to say.

“Impossible.” A woman’s voice pushed its way into Sakura’s ears.

“Who is that woman? Is she why he left?” Someone whispered behind them.

“Let them speak Sakura, ignore them, we can not stop it.” Madara said gently soothing her nerves.

A child gasped, and stumbled out into the street before them. 

Sakura and Madara stopped in front of the child who had been pushed out in front of them. The child’s face stared up at them in awe, his lips quivering, tears pooled in the corners of his eyes ...and he began to cry much to Madara’s annoyance and Sakura’s concern.

“Aww, what’s wrong little guy?” Sakura crouched down in front of the child and pet him on the head pulling a small package of hard candy from her pouch to give to the little boy. 

“If you stop crying, I’ll give you this.” Sakura smiled a warm smile at the boy with red hair holding the small package of candy out for him to take.

The child’s eyes went round as he looked from her to Madara, then quick, like a bunny he snatched the candy from her hand, bowed and ran back into the gathering crowd.

“Did you see what she gave him?” A woman asked her friend as Sakura rose back up from her crouching position to smile at Madara who nodded back to her.

“Who is she and what is she doing with him?” The bread maker asked his wife.

“I don’t know, someone needs to tell the Hokage.” Another whispered.

Sakura looked around her as they walked, ignoring the voices and marveling at all of the differences from her time to this one.

“It’s smaller.” She whispered to Madara who laughed out loud startling several people who were close enough to hear.

“It was founded less than two years ago love, of course it is smaller than your Konoha.” He was delighted with her expression. 

She had always been an expressive child but now that she was grown it had changed into a sort of alluring innocence, making him clear his throat, least his thoughts get away with him.

“The Hokage Tower is just up ahead, come, it seems to be around midday. I am sure the gate had already informed him of my presence, if he hadn't already felt it himself. Hashirama will be in his office if he hasn’t run out on his responsibilities like usual.” Madara placed a small hand at her back and pushed her along away from the ever growing crowd of prying eyes.

By his calculations he hadn’t been gone for more than a few weeks. The reactions of the people around them were that of surprise but not shock and mostly revolved around Sakura rather than himself, as he had expected. 

Quickly going over the timeline in his head he surmised they must have returned sometime after he had left the village the first time...which meant...they had gone back further than even he had anticipated, before Hashirama and he had fought at the Valley of the End.

With his palm still at Sakura’s back he stopped her on their path as he felt yet another familiar chakra signature making their way to them quickly.

“Lord Uchiha.” The older man dropped down in front of Sakura and Madara bowing low to the ground. “You’ve returned...we feared, you had left us.”

“Awari San. It is a pleasure to see you again. How has the clan fared in my absence?” Madara asked the man sternly.

Sakura looked at Madara curiously. He was using the same voice he had used when speaking to Tobirama earlier. She had thought he had spoken roughly to the man because of their past but she realized, it wasn’t that no, it was because here...he was Uchiha Madara, the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan and one of the founders of Konoha. One of the most powerful shinobi alive...alive among many.

She wondered nervously, what her position in his life was and how his position would affect their relationship, when she felt his palm at her back again, moving in a small circle of comfort. Sakura let out the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding and looked up again at Madara, his eyes were on her and he smiled.

Sakura looked at the older man in front of them and paused in her greeting. He was looking at her suspiciously and with...animosity? What had she done?

“This is my student, my apprentice, Haruno Sakura. Show her your respect.” Madara turned his eyes from Sakura to the man.

“Of course Lord Madara. Welcome Sakura Sama.” The man bowed low to Sakura.

“Will the young lady be joining us in the compound Lord Madara?” 

“Yes, give her what would have been Izuna’s quarters. Make them ready while we visit the Hokage.” Madara stepped around the bowing man pulling Sakura along with him by the hand ignoring the many whispered gasps and gossip erupting around them.

‘Lord Izuna’s quarters, just who the hell was this woman?’, Awari looked after his clan head and the pink haired woman curiously.

“I thought Izuna died before Konoha had been founded, Madara.” Sakura whispered as they walked up the steps to the tower.

“He did, but I...had them built for his memory and for...well the clan elders wished me to marry after the founding of the village more then, than even before the wars between the Senju and the Uchiha...I called them Izuna’s quarters but, they were really for my future wife.” Madara cleared his throat.

“I do not want you far from me, even in the compound until you are more familiar with these times. There are dangers here that you have never dreamed of before. I would not bring you here with me only to leave you unprotected Sakura.” He removed his palm from the small of her back as he knocked on the doors to the Hokage’s office.

“Whatever you do, don’t let him hug you too much.” Madara smiled down at Sakura.

“What?” She squeaked as the doors flew open in front of them and Madara was knocked back against the opposite wall in a manly embrace.

“Uh.” Sakura looked up and down the hall in confusion.

“Get off of me you oaf, there is a lady present!” Madara pushed his friend off of him and pointed at Sakura.

“A lady?” Hashirama Senju, the Shodaime of Konoha, turned and stared at Sakura who bowed slightly and bit her lip in her nervousness.

“Hokage Sama.” Sakura said politely.

“Who is this Madara, did you marry, is that why you left? Why didn’t you tell me! Congratulations! She’s beautiful Madara you sly dog you!” Hashirama clapped his hands seemingly unaware of both Madara and Sakura’s growing embarrassment.

“She is not my wife, you moron!” Madara punched Hashirama in the head and seethed openly much to Sakura’s amusement...who had never seen this side of him before. It seemed Hashirama brought out this...more childish side of her mentor and Master.

“Owwwwww.” The First Hokage whined as he rubbed the side of his head.

“She’s my student and my ...friend.” Madara corrected the brunette.

“Student? Friend?” Hashirama turned to look at Sakura with wide brown eyes full of laughter and...mischief.

“Haruno Sakura.” Sakura pointed to herself at nose level. “Hajijemashite dozo yoroshiku.”

“The pleasure is mine!” Hashirama left Madara’s side and in one bound had Sakura locked up against his chest in a firm embrace.

“Would you put her down, for kami’s sake he just got back and you’re already acting like a fool.” Tobirama spoke from behind them making them turn as one to look at him. 

“You can’t just pick up a woman you just met and hug her like that!” Tobirama continued to scold his older brother.

“Yes, some pull kunai and threaten them hum?” Sakura pushed herself from the handsy Hokage and glared at his brother.

“I didn’t know who you were.” Tobirama huffed glaring back at her.

“You only asked once and could clearly see I was in no mental state to answer you with my head reeling and instead of seeing if I required medical attention you pulled a kunai on me and started badgering me with questions.” She countered with a huff of her own crossing her arms across her chest and squaring up in front of the white haired man.

“She is almost as grouchy as you are Madara, I can see that she is your student.” Hashirama whispered in not quite a whisper to Madara who simply nodded and watched Sakura talk to Tobirama like he was a child.

Sakura ignored the whispering, focusing on Tobirama who had advanced into the hallway to stand before her making her have to look up at his taller vantage to look him in the eye...with a smirk.

“Are you in need of medical attention?” He asked her sarcastically.

“I am not.” Sakura raised a pink brow at Tobirama who continued to smirk.

“Tobi, take it easy, she is Madara’s student, surely you can see she is no threat to Konoha, come, come, let’s go into my office hum?” Hashirama inclined his head to Sakura, taking her arm without her permission and pulling it through his own to lead her into the office.

Madara and Tobirama both glared at the man but followed Sakura and Hashirama into the office nevertheless.

“Now then, now then...welcome home Madara, and you my dear.” Hashirama smiled at Sakura who raised another pink eyebrow at him. He wasn’t at all like the man she had pictured in her head from the paintings in the museum.

“I thought you left for good, why are you back, with this woman in tow?” Tobirama asked Madara rudely once they had all sat down in front of the Hokage’s desk.

“I never said I was leaving for good, only that I couldn’t sit back and watch the segregation of my people from the rest of the village anymore. I went to retrieve my student, Sakura. She will help our village and our clan both, for a better Konoha.” Madara stood and placed his hands on Sakura’s shoulders smiling down at her fondly.

“Er, thank you Madara.” Sakura blushed. “I’m not sure how I will accomplish such a steep feat though.” She laughed nervously...what the hell was he doing?

Hashirama’s eyes passed from his best friend to the woman in front of him. He had never seen Madara look at anyone with such pride and tenderness before...other than Izuna, and she hadn’t used any honorific when addressing him…

“Oh? Just how is some woman supposed to manage that ?” Tobirama demanded.

Sakura’s head snapped to Tobirama unintentionally releasing some of her chakra in her anger.

Tobirama’s eyes widened in surprise and Hashirama looked at the woman with renewed interest.

“She’s a kunoichi Madara?” Hashirama sat back in his chair folding his arms on his desk in front of him. “What is her status?”

“I told you she was my student, of course she is a kunoichi. A Jounin with a specialty in medical jutsu and seals.” Madara said with clear pride in his voice.

“You’re kidding.” Hashirama leaned forward to look Sakura over once more. “She looks like a civilian with that pink hair and small stature.”

Madara laughed. “Let her rest from our journey, her chakra is drained, she is fatigued and hungry I am sure, let her show you her skills in the training grounds tomorrow morning, just the…”Madara looked at Tobirama…”...just the four of us as witness to her skill.”

Sakura looked up at Madara curiously. 

Hashirama looked at his brother whose eyes had yet to leave the pink haired woman and nodded slowly. “As you wish. She will need to be tested before she is added to our active shinobi rooster and able to take missions.”

“I can go on missions?!” Sakura asked Madara excitedly.

“You’ve never been on a mission?” Tobirama hit his face with his palm and stroked the length of it slowly in exasperation. “She is your student Madara and she’s never been on a single mission?”

Madara smiled down at Sakura. “Not yet, but don’t let her ‘civilian’ looks fool you Tobirama. Remember, I trained her myself from the age of six.”

“Six but how is that...Madara how is that possible?” Hashirama looked back at the woman who looked no more than 16 years old.

“A story for another time.” Madara clasped hands with his friend and nodded stiffly to Tobirama. “If you’ll excuse us, Sakura and I need to visit the compound. I met Awashi on the way here, her suite should be ready, she will need time to settle in and meet the necessary servants for her quarters.”

“Servants?” Sakura asked not liking the sound of that.

“Yes, I will explain things to you on the way to the Uchiha compound. Come.” Madara pulled her chair out with her still seated making her squeak.

“It was very nice to meet you Hokage Sama, Tobirama San.” Sakura bowed politely and followed Madara out of the Hokage’s office.

“He says she is his student but she addresses him as a lover.” Tobirama looked out of his brother’s office window and watched the pink hair float through the streets toward the Uchiha compound.

“It is none of our business Tobi, who cares if she is his lover?” Hashirama teased his brother.

“It’s unsightly, a man of his age taking advantage of a little girl.” Tobirama glared out the window where he could see Sakura’s pink head disappear behind one of the larger market buildings.

Hashirama looked up from the scroll he had just unraveled to look curiously at his brother. “She isn’t a little girl, perhaps a bit young but not too young you know.” Hashirama paused

You like her.” A broad grin split out across Hashirama’s face.

“I do not. I am merely stating the obvious, clearly she is no older than 16 or 17 at best, Madara is the same age as you for kami’s sake.” Tobirama defended himself.

“She told you off and you like her for it.” Hashirama continued to grin at his brother.

“She may have, peaked my interest with her strong words, but I have no romantic interest in the woman, the girl I mean.” Tobirama stomped out of his brother’s office before any more inappropriate teasing could ensue.

Hashirama picked his scroll back up and tore it in two, smiling from ear to ear. The contract to hand the leadership of the Uchiha clan over to the elders fell to the floor at his feet. Hashirama stood and looked out the window, his hands linked at the fingers behind his back. “Welcome home Madara, old friend.”

“I don’t believe Tobirama is accustomed to many women speaking to him in such a forceful manner, Sakura. Be careful, the bastard might feel the need to court you if you keep talking so sweetly to him.” Madara teased her as they walked toward the Uchiha district.

Sakura’s mouth dropped open. Madara was teasing her...about a man. “You seem more relaxed now that we are back in your own time, it is good to see.” She said sincerely.

“I uh, noticed that people tend to look at me strangely when I do not add an honorific to your name when speaking to you, perhaps, now that we are back in your time...I should call you Madara Sama.” She said hesitantly.

“No, you will continue to call me Madara. I’ve never placed much value in other’s opinions, no need to start now. Your presence in my home will stir enough gossip, there is no need for formalities now. This is where your real challenge begins, Sakura.” He nodded to the guards at the front of the compound who had bowed low to their clan head and his...student.

“Remember what I told you. You are my student, you bow to no one. They will not respect you, make them. I trained you to be a shinobi, act like it.” He patted her hand. “However, you are also...a lady.”

Madara pushed open the sliding door to his home set in the back of the Uchiha compound. Sakura hadn’t realized how far they had walked. She had been so focused on holding her head up straight and trying her hardest not to fidget beside him she hadn’t paid any attention to the bows of the Uchiha, or the called out greetings of the men who hailed Madara as they had walked to the back of the compound together.

“Lord Uchiha. Welcome home.” Several servants were lined up against the wall and Madara bit the inside of his mouth. He had forgotten to explain one of the most common traits of being in a prestigious clan to her...servants.

“Thank you. This is my student, Haruno Sakura. She is to be given anything she asks for and is to be treated with the same respect as a full blooded clan member of the main house, is that understood?” Madara met the eyes of each of the women and men present.

“Yes, Lord Uchiha.” They bowed as one to Sakura. “Welcome Lady Sakura.”

“Er...thank you.” Sakura managed, before her face turned a brilliant red.

“Sakura, I will need to speak with the clan elders. I would like you to have dinner with me this evening. Unpack your things and make your rooms your own in my absence. Someone will find you to escort you to dinner. You may explore the village but be careful, this is not the world you knew, remember that and do not leave the village walls, understood?”

“Yes Madara.” Sakura saluted him like she sometimes did, making him smile and setting her own nerves at ease.

“Very good. I will see you soon. Please let the maids know if there is anything you need.” With a quick pat on her hand, he turned on his heel and left her...with a room full of strangers of varying dispositions.

One of the maids stepped forward and bowed low. “May I show you to your rooms, Sakura Sama?”

“Please, um, you don’t have to call me Sakura Sama, just Sakura is fine.” Sakura blushed at all of this...tradition.

“The lord would not be pleased to hear such a request my lady, he told us to treat you as a member of the main family, I will honor his wishes.” The maid bowed again motioning with a graceful hand toward the right of the main hall. “Your rooms are this way, Sakura Sama.”

“Er okay, thanks.” Sakura ran her hands through her hair. ‘Madara was right, this was going to take some getting used to’, she hummed to herself as she followed the sleek head of the maid down the hall.


	9. Chapter 9

“Lord Madara, you’ve returned.” Banko bowed low to Madara.

“I have. I see that the clan is well on the surface. How are things in the village, under the surface Banko?” Madara asked the elder to his left, seated beside Awari.

“You were gone for over six months Lord Madara, we have already taken measures for your succession.” Yasuo Said boldly, making the two elders beside him look down in their shame.

“An unfortunate waste on your part. Have you lost such faith in me that a mere six month trip warranted such...measures as you call them?” Madara sat back on his cushion , eyes dark and penetrating as they bore into Yasuo’s.

To his credit Yasuo stammered, only once before coughing and continuing. “It is in the rights of the clan to choose a new leader in the unexpected absence of the current leader. You gave no word of your return Lord Madara and you left the village in a most...undignified manner.”

Several of the elders gasped at Yasuo’s bravery, while others scoffed at his foolishness.

“As you can see Lord Madara, much has changed in the six months you were absent.” Banko raised his brow to Yasuo, answering his lord’s previous question.

“I am the strongest Clan leader in over three hundred years. Choose your words carefully when speaking to me Yasuo...for they may be your last.” Madara’s eyes spun once, then twice to reveal his mangekyou. Every head in the room dropped to their hands, even Yasuo’s.

“If you’re through, let us continue onto more important matters of state. My apprentice, my student Haruno Sakura has come back to the village with me and will be residing with me...in my house. She is to be given all the rights and respect of a blood born Uchiha. Is that understood?” Madara’s eyes flashed red and glowed among the darkening room as he looked each member of his council in the eyes.

“Yes, Lord Madara.” Many of them spoke willingly.

“A woman, you bring a woman home with you and into your home...then claim she is your student?” Yasuo asked. this time out of surprise, not out of a challenge.

“Lord Madara, you have never, um, taken on a student before. To take on a student now in your absence and a woman, she must be quite remarkable. We look forward to meeting her. Thank you Lord Madara.” Roka, one of Madara’s long time supporters bowed low after addressing the Clan Head.

“Sakura is very remarkable for many reasons. One of those being that she is a very accomplished healer and will be a benefit to both our clan and the village. The Hokage is testing her for the rooster tomorrow morning and I will be introducing her formally to the clan as well as the village next month. Make the arrangements. Now, are there any more matters of state?” Madara looked around the table.

“Yes Lord Uchiha, the Hyuga, in your absence have sent a petition to the Hokage claiming that the land on the southern side of the river belongs to them, but it does not as clearly outlined in the foundation blueprints of the village.” Banko pulled the blueprint from his waistband and laid it out on the table before the council weighting the ends down with rocks that were previously placed on the table for this purpose.

Madara’s attention was drawn from the council meeting momentarily. He could feel her small chakra signature moving around the Uchiha compound. So she had settled her things and was exploring her new world already was she...he smiled to himself as he thought of her walking around the garden of the main house with it’s Sakura trees in bloom.

“Lord Madara?” Banko inquired politely, a small twitch of amusement on his lips as he looked at his clan head.

“My apologies Banko. Perhaps we could resume this meeting at a later date. I need to attend to something.” Madara rose and the table rose with him.

“Lord Madara, there are things that must be addressed.” Yasuo began.

“They will be addressed, in time. Three days, we will sit again to discuss the most pressing matters.” Madara inclined his head respectfully to his council and left the room.

Sakura pushed her hair back from her eyes as the Spring air whirled around her. Mentally she scoffed at the layered kimono her maids had insisted she wear. She much preferred the kunoichi outfit Madara had given her. It was, however, dirty and her maids had told her it would take a few days to make her more garments in the similar fashion to the one she favored.

With her nose scrunched and her eyes twitching slightly she picked up the long annoying skirts of the traditional kimono and walked through the garden she had spotted outside of her room while the maids had dressed her.

She snorted a most unladylike snort at the thought...dressing her. She could dress herself...if she had been allowed to wear her own clothes that is. Admittedly, she could not dress herself in...this. She sighed and sat down on a stone bench under the blossoming Sakura trees and closed her eyes.

She was here, she had done it. It hadn’t sunk in yet she was sure. With her eyes still closed she tilted her head back to the warming rays of sunshine that peeked through the fragrant branches overhead. ‘Madara’, his name filled her head as she felt something familiar, he was, was it him...yes, he had just entered the compound.

Madara had never had enough chakra before, for her to detect him, she had learned to sense him though familiarity of energy, his presence. Now, she could feel the difference. It wasn’t just his energy but his chakra that swirled around him that she felt, like a pulse...a heart beating in time with his breath. “Madara.” It was life.

“I see you’ve found the garden love.” Madara sat down beside her on the stone bench and tilted his head back to look at the blossoming branches. She had looked just as beautiful as he thought she would among the trees.

“It wasn’t hard to miss.” Sakura smiled at him, taking in the small differences she had already begun to notice since their arrival, his return.

“You look lovely, Sakura.” Madara watched as a lock of hair was blown over her shoulder by one of the harsher Spring winds. “Are you chilled? We can go inside.”

“I’m not a doll.” Sakura told him seriously. “A little breeze will not blow me over no matter what they dress me in.”

Madara laughed at his student. “I had expected you to be in the same clothes as before, but this is a pleasant surprise. You might not favor the dress but you do look quite lovely in it, my dear.” He told her for the second time.

Sakura blushed. “Well, enjoy the view, because I already told the servants or the maids...whatever they are, that I will not be wearing it forever. They are making me clothes like the ones you got me, the ones I wore on our trip here.” She said smugly.

“Of course, you look lovely in that as well.” Madara laughed again, making her blush again.

“I’ve never heard you laugh this much Madara, you must be very happy to be home.” Sakura smiled at him.

“I am, very happy, and I am happy you came with me. You didn’t have to, it was a terrible risk for you.” He acknowledged her sacrifice. 

Sakura smiled. He had never been so...open with her before, it was an unexpected and pleasant change in their relationship...he was treating her more like...an equal, than a student.

“I am glad I came but you were right, it might take me awhile to get used to this.” Sakura waved her hand out and around her encompassing not only the Uchiha compound but this new Konoha.

“I understand. How are your rooms, do you like them?” Madara had never concerned himself with the running of the house but now that Sakura was here he felt he should...inquire. It was a new feeling for him, but not an unpleasant one...he smiled again as he looked at her.

“Uh, it’s big, too big. Do they have to draw my bath for me Madara? I can do that myself.” She was uncomfortable, he could tell.

“It is different from your time but try to think of it this way Sakura. When you get a mission, it is for the village and you will be paid for your services, however it is also for the clan. You are an official Uchiha now, not by blood but by my will, to show you my gratitude.” He paused.

“Gratitude?” She asked.

“I would not be here, home, if it hadn’t been for your blood, sweat and tears Sakura. I am home, because of you.” Madara took her hand in his and kissed it gently along the knuckles. “I am grateful.”

“Oh.” Sakura blushed and pulled her hand from his grasp, embarrassed. He was...different here.

“The maids, they serve the house of Uchiha, they are Uchiha. You fight for the village, you will be fighting for the village...for them. One day, and many times over Sakura, you will lay your life on the line for the mission, the village, the clan...for them. So let them draw your bath, let them dress you and let them cook your meals. A fair trade.” Madara smiled at her as she lifted her head to meet his gaze.

“A fair trade. I understand it when you put it like that. Thank you Madara.” She smiled, when he said it like that, it put her heart at ease.

“What did you mean when you told Hashirama Sama and Tobirama San that I would show them my skill tomorrow morning Madara? What exactly did that mean?” She asked.

“Well, Hashirama would take my word for your skill as a Jounin, but Tobirama wouldn’t. As unfortunate as it is, you must prove your skill to him, or he won’t let you take missions. Hashirama is the Hokage, but we all run the village together. Some things are vague in your history books, some things misunderstood and some overlooked completely.” Madara shrugged and leaned his back up against the tree scooting up against it along the stone bench.

“Hashirama doesn’t run the village alone. Tobirama and I are in charge of different parts of the inner workings. Tobirama handles the Anbu and the missions as well as the academy. I handle the foreign affairs, recruiting and clan disputes.” Madara explained.

“Recruiting?” Sakura asked.

“We are a new village, we wish for other clans to join us, to make us stronger. An idea of Hashirama’s...a good one too. One I was not always, supportive of. It was one of the reasons I left, before.” He groaned thinking of the mistakes he had made.

400 years to dwell on your mistakes tends to put things into perspective. Hindsight is 20/20.

“This is a second chance. We’ve returned before Hashirama had originally sealed me, before I had...gone too far.” He admitted to her quietly, something he would admit to no one else, perhaps...Hashirama. That was a talk best left for later, over sake.

Sakura had heard of his mistakes before when they had sat under the stars together talking in Madara’s Valley. Briefly, she wondered if it was still there…

“A second chance for both of us. I get to live the life I had dreamed about but had always been out of my reach, and you get a second chance to right the wrongs you did or would have done.” Sakura smiled and took a deep flower scented breath. “I understand, and I too am grateful Madara, for everything you have done for me as well.”

The words hung between them in comfortable silence.

They sat side by side on the stone bench as the clouds passed overhead and the cherry trees moved with the wind, each lost in their own thoughts.

“I have something I need to do before dinner this evening.” Madara rose to his feet and bowed formally at the waist. “Please excuse me.”

Sakura rose to her feet, blushing at his formality. “Of course Madara, I think I will take a small nap before dinner. Our travels seem to have just caught up with me.”

Madara nodded, hesitating only slightly before clearing his throat and walking down the stone path out of the garden, through the main part of the house.

“Lady Sakura.” The maid from before bowed low.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t ask you before, what is your name?” Sakura asked the girl.

“My name is Kiyomi, Lady Sakura. My Lord told me you wish to lay down, please allow me to assist you.” Kiyomi bowed again.

Sakura began to protest, but remembered Madara’s words and stopped. “Thank you Kiyomi, I would appreciate that.”

Kiyomi beamed at Sakura, making Sakura blush an even deeper shade of red.

“The seamstress assures me your clothes will be ready for you in two days time my lady and per your request the clothes you arrived in have been washed and hung, they will be ready for you to wear for your training tomorrow morning with Madara Sama.” Kiyomi chirped in Sakura’s ear as Sakura walked back through the garden doors to her sitting room.

Sakura laid down on her couch and looked out the window at the cliffside and wondered how everyone was doing back home, in her time. Thoughts of dango and tea shops filtered through her head. She was fast asleep before Kiyomi had even pulled the light blanket up and over her shoulders.

Kiyomi tiptoed out of the room, sliding the door shut behind her, turned and headed back to the kitchens to make up a tea tray for her lady. By drawing straws, she had won the privilege to be Sakura’s personal maid. Kiyomi couldn’t have been more pleased. She couldn’t understand why none of the other maids had wanted the position. She thought Sakura seemed kind if not a bit strange.

“She’s been here less than a day and already she has the seamstress running around making her new clothes. There is a closet full of beautiful kimonos but no, she wants to wear pants like a man and walk around with her figure showing. Pah.” Kiyomi heard one of the older maids speaking poorly of Sakura as she walked through the doors of the kitchens and around the corner to the hearth.

“She is very beautiful though, you have to admit. Her hair color alone is so delicate and unusual, no wonder she caught Lord Uchiha’s eye.” One of the younger maids cooed.

“She is a whore and a tramp no doubt it is a genjutsu, she’s probably very ugly.” The first maid snickered cruelly.

“Can’t be.” Another maid interjected. “Who could possibly cast a genjutsu strong enough to fool our Lord Madara.”

“True.” The first maid agreed, then laughed humorlessly. “I bet he tires of her soon, those rooms will be vacant again, at least until he finds another that catches his eye.”

“You’re just jealous.” Kiyomi said bravely. 

She was the youngest of the maids in the main house and spoke little to the older more experienced women, but she couldn’t stand what they were saying about Sakura, who had been nothing but kind to her so far and who almost seemed embarrassed that Kiyomi was helping her. Sakura was a good person and Kiyomi knew it.

“Don’t speak so sharply. Just because you’ve been elevated from laundry to Ladies maid doesn’t mean you’re better than we are.” The oldest of the maids scoffed at Kiyomi.

“I don’t think that at all. Sakura Sama is a kind person and doesn’t deserve your ridicule, besides, her relationship with Lord Madara isn’t what you think, she is his student and a kunoichi, of course she would rather wear pants!” Kiyomi said, her chest heaving as she left the room with her tray.

“Ignore her, she’s young, she’ll understand later when the pink haired whore is kicked out of the main house and sent to the kitchen to scrub the pots.” The older maid waved her hand through the air making the other maids laugh.

“They’ll see, Lady Sakura is nice and kind, she didn’t ask for a maid, Lord Madara insisted she have one.” Kiyomi muttered to herself as she walked down the hall with Sakura’s tea tray.

Kiyomi knelt down on the wooden floors outside of Sakura’s sitting room and pushed the door back quietly, lifted the tray, set it inside the room, and closed the door behind her again. She picked up the tray and moved to the couch where her lady slept and set the tray on the lowered table in front of her.

“Thank you Kiyomi Chan.” Madara spoke from the chair in the corner of the room startling the girl.

“Oh, Lord Madara, forgive me, I did not see you. um...Lady Sakura is still sleeping, should I…” Kiyomi wondered what he was doing in Lady Sakura’s private chambers...unannounced.

“Do not wake her, our journey was long and difficult, she needs the rest. Here.” Madara pulled a small box from his sleeve and handed it to the maid. “For her tea.”

“Yes Madara Sama.” Kiyomi took the small box and set it beside the tea tray bowing low.

“Wake her an hour before dinner. I will be waiting for her in the common room. Serve us dinner there.” Madara smiled kindly to the maid and left the room as quietly as he had come.

Kiyomi swallowed and looked around the room. If any of the other servants had seen him, it would do little to quell the rumours that had already been stirring since his arrival with Lady Sakura. With a small shrug she opened the box Lord Madara had given Lady Sakura to find...dango, three sticks, lined up in a row. Perhaps...Kiyomi thought to herself, it was her, Kiyomi , that had been mistaken about their relationship.

Madara walked silently down the hall and past the common room that separated his living quarters from Sakura’s. In his own sitting room, along the wall, he knelt before the butsudan and pulled the doors open to reveal the single framed painting.

“I’ve come home, Izuna.” Madara bowed his head to the picture of his little brother and lit the incense placing them in the sanded pot. “I’ve brought someone back with me. Her name is Sakura. She is going to help us. The clan. I have seen the future Izuna...and it is horrifying. I will not make the same mistakes I’ve made in the past. I only wish I could have met her before you had died, before Tobirama… before my world went to hell.”

Madara tucked his feet under his knees, he could always talk to his brother here, tell him everything that he could not voice to even himself sometimes. “Sakura is special. She doesn’t realize it but people are drawn to her, they gravitate to her personality. I worked hard to keep her close to me, alienating her from the people of her world so she would come with me, here to our world. I did not want her to regret... There was one boy though...Izuna, he looked like you, I let one boy remain close to her. His name was Sasuke. He was an Uchiha.”

“I wish you could be here. I wish you could have met her. I think you would have liked her. I’m not good with words, with people. Sakura is though. She will go with me to meet the clan heads who wish to join our village, she will help me win them over. I will let her loose on the village to charm them, to respect her...and her close ties to the clan will make them see, we are not so bad, that we can be a part of this village...like, like I want us to be.”

Madara paused. “I am trying to change but guilt consumes me. I couldn’t save you. Sakura, she had chakra in a world where none existed. She would have been alone, never knowing what it was so I...saved her, in a way that no one else could. I trained her Izuna, to be a shinobi, to use her chakra and she...surpassed my wildest dreams.” Madara laughed into his arm and looked back up at his brother’s picture.

“We could always talk, you and I. You were always better at talking than I was but...with Sakura, like you, it comes more easily. I can laugh around her, like I laugh with Hashi.” He wiped the corners of his eyes.

“I don’t know if it was right or wrong to bring her with me, to bring her back with me. I tell myself I saved her but...I also brought her back for selfish reasons Izuna. She came of her own free will and yet I can’t help but feel I manipulated her somehow, and now, even after all that I have done and all that I expect from her I also feel...I don’t know how to explain it. She, makes me feel warm inside, like a hot summer day. How the heat seeps into your skin and surrounds your heart in warmth, in comfort.” Madara laughed at himself at his own words and hung his head.

“I sound like a fool. I know. I’ve already asked too much of her, I can’t burden her with my...feelings as well.” Madara rose to his feet and clapped his hands twice bowed and rang the bell beside Izuna’s picture. “I wish you could have met her.”


	10. Chapter 10

“He’s going to spar with her himself?” Tobirama asked out of the side of his mouth as he stood beside his brother in the Uchiha training grounds.

“Looks like it.” Hashirama looked out at Madara and Sakura standing across from one another on the field inside of the Uchiha compound. Hashirama was just as surprised as his brother was. To his knowledge the only person Madara sparred with was himself and Izuna.

Madara had sent a hawk to Hashirama that morning requesting he and his brother come to the Uchiha compound for Sakura’s trial. Having the Hokage in the Uchiha district was good for the clan, Madara had explained in his missive to Hashirama. If Hashirama were seen coming to and from the Uchiha compound it would further establish the reminder that he and Madara were friends. That was the first change Madara had decided to make since his return.

“She can’t possibly be that skilled. He will go easy on her.” Tobirama scowled at the pair.

“I am sure he will, but that doesn’t mean she can’t still be skilled Tobi. He would go easy on you as well.” Hashirama watched his brother out of the corner of his eye and wondered where all this animosity toward the woman was coming from. Surely his brother wouldn’t hold such a grudge against someone he had just met. Tobirama wasn’t usually this childish.

“Hmph.” Tobirama didn’t agree or disagree with his brother, neither was needed, they both knew the truth in the statement.

Sakura bit her bottom lip as she looked out across the field. She had sparred with Madara many times over the past few years since he had gotten his physical form again, but never...in front of witnesses...in front of other shinobi. She was very nervous.

Madara made the hand sign for a friendly spar. Sakura nodded and returned the hand sign, leaping into the air to avoid the burst of flame she knew would be coming...only it didn’t.

Madara smirked, flashing across the field at a near impossible speed. Sakura’s eyes tracked his movements, barely. She could feel his presence behind her, she jumped, dodged, wove the hand signs for her water whip and wrapped it around his ankle throwing him back down to the ground.

He had expected it, dodged the first water whip but hadn’t seen the second, she was getting better. He smiled.

“She...got him...incredible.” Hashirama gasped at the side of the field.

“His sharingan isn't activated brother, she wouldn’t have been able to do that if it had been. As I predicted, he is going easy on her.” Still, Tobirama had to admit...she was good.

Madara wove in and out of Sakura’s attacks with a practiced ease slowly pushing her harder and harder, showing Hashirama and Tobirama what she was truly capable of, while easing her into the fight a little at a time allowing her to focus on the spar rather than her nerves.

Sakura knew what he was doing and was touched by his thoughtfulness. It was however only a matter of time before he came at her with his full power...she knew. This was a spar not only to show her skills but to show how well he had trained her. It was his reputation as well as her own that would shine from this...interview.

‘Well, now is as good a time as any’, she thought as she pulled a stack of small laminated squared seals from her pouch on a 3 inch metal ring. 

Madara watched her pull her seals from her pouch and smiled...she was getting serious. “Come at me Sakura...with all of your strength!” Madara called out to her as he ran toward her.

“Show them Sakura! Show them how hard you’ve trained!” Madara leapt up into the air pulling his Gun Bai from his back, coming down on her in an explosion of force. Dust rose up around them.

“Ack!” Sakura had barely rolled out of the way in time, rolled and jumped to her feet with a burst of chakra and pressing her chakra infused thumb into her first seal.

Smoke exploded around her giving her momentary cover. She shot out from the cloud, her kusarigamajutsu in hand, she spun in the air throwing the chain out to catch Madara around the waist. With her chakra infused into her right arm she yanked back hard pulling his whole body to her only to find he had used a substitution jutsu.

“Damn it.” She spun to block the hit she could feel coming, hooked her ankle around his knee and kicked back sending him back down to the ground landing beside him with a gust of air.

“Very good Sakura.” Madara grinned at her disappearing and reappearing across the field again.

“I’m not done yet Madara!” Sakura laughed and called out to him, making him smile again.

“She’s brave.” Hashirama smiled in delight. “She taunts him.” He nearly clapped his hands making his younger brother groan beside him.

“I will admit, she is much more skilled than I had anticipated. Her use of seals is..impressive and she’s fast.” Tobirama scowled.

Hashirama giggled like a girl beside his brother. “I've never heard you compliment anyone before Tobi.”

“I have! It just, doesn’t happen very often.” Tobirama glared at his brother.

“I believe that will do Sakura. There is no need to impress them further.” Madara called his student back to the side of the field where their observers stood waiting.

Sakura placed her ring of laminated seals back into her pouch and walked over to the men waiting at the side of the field. As she approached she felt the eyes of all three men on her and blushed self consciously.

Madara was more than a bit smug. She had done well. There weren’t many who could touch him, much less pull him to them with their weapon and Sakura had managed both. To an unskilled eye it may seem like neither of them had tried very hard, but at their level...any blow exchanged, was a skilled blow.

Hashirama laughed in delight. “She is just as remarkable as you said Madara, you should be proud of your student.”

“I am.” Madara nodded to Sakura when she joined them.

“Where did you learn those sealing techniques? Madara does not know those sealing techniques.” Tobirama demanded making Sakura narrow her eyes at the man.

“He does actually, he just prefers not to use them in battle. You should know that, if you know him at all.” Sakura didn’t like Tobirama, she had been terribly disappointed when she had met him and was beginning to like him less and less the more she saw of him. He was nothing like the man she had imagined while learning from his scrolls in the Konoha archives of the future.

“Who said I knew him well?” Tobirama scoffed at the very concept of being friends with the Uchiha. He tolerated him...for his brother’s sake and for the good of the village, nothing more.

“My mistake, I took you for an intelligent shinobi.” Sakura mock bowed to the Senju.

“What?” Tobirama blurted out having been surprised by her words as much as by her forwardness to say them to his face.

“Were you not enemies for many years? Is it not wise to know your enemy? It is a basic principle. I would have thought you to know it, of all people...Tobirama San.” Sakura smirked at his narrowed eyes and flushed face.

Madara smiled behind his hand at his student, she was a spit fire...always had been.

“Ah, haha got you there didn’t she Tobi!” Hashirama slapped his brother hard on the back laughing in a most obnoxious way much to Tobirama’s embarrassment and Sakura’s amusement.

“I also trained her in battle tactics and strategy. Both offensive and defensive.” Madara smiled casually at Tobirama’s deepening scowl.

“Well, that is impressive Madara.” Hashirama looked at Sakura with unconcealed interest.

“I will add her to the shinobi ranks as a Jounin, however, I have yet to see her healing abilities.” Tobirama looked down condescending at Sakura who flushed with anger.

“Are you always this much of an asshole or am I just that special? Is it because Madara is my mentor?” Sakura glared at the Senju, her hands on her hips...she was getting tired of this guy second guessing her and ridiculing her at every turn.

“You aren’t special. I am not going to put one of my teams at risk for you to tag along as an unqualified medic though. The only known field medic is my brother, and he can only heal himself.” Tobirama took a step forward...challenging her to say something to what he knew was a fact. “There are no field medics that can effectively heal a team during battle!”

“Until now.” Sakura channeled her chakra to her fingertips to form a point and slashed Tobirama across the chest before he could blink.

Blood welled up from the shallow wound and Tobirama made the hand signs for a water dragon but was stopped by his brother, the Hokage, before he could finish his attack. Sakura blinked, he was so fast...as fast as Madara…

“You insulted her Tobi, she is merely showing you her skills, as you requested. Isn’t that right Sakura Chan?” Hashirama’s words were polite, but his voice had deepened and his eyes had become harder. “Heal him...if you are truly the medic you claim to be.”

Madara laid a hand on Sakura’s shoulder. “Heal him Sakura.” Madara met Hashirama’s eyes over the top of Sakura’s head and they nodded to one another in perfect understanding.

“I had planned on it.” Sakura ripped the rest of Tobirama’s shirt apart and traced the shallow cut with the tip of a chakra infused finger, the skin began to knit before their eyes until the wound was fully healed without a single blemish to his pale skin, only the blood from the original wound remained.

“Satisfied prick?” Sakura stared into Tobirama’s eyes with a heated victory that curved her mouth.

“I am.” Tobirama pulled the ripped pieces of his shirt back together with as much dignity as he could muster, his body flickered slightly and he was gone.

Sakura turned her gaze to Hashirama who had a more serious look in his eye...a look befitting the Hokage. “...and you, Hokage Sama?”

“I am, but Sakura Chan...I advise you not to attack another Konoha shinobi outside of a friendly spar again.” Hashirama raised his head slightly when she didn’t respond readily.

“I will not attack another shinobi of Konoha Lord Hokage...unprovoked.” Sakura bowed her head respectfully.

“Sakura.” Madara laid a hand on her shoulder.

“You told me Madara, that they would not respect me, that I would have to make them. I made Tobirama respect me today. I doubt he will make the same mistake again. Is that not what you taught me?” Sakura frowned at Madara.

“It is.” Madara nodded. “Go inside love. I need to speak to Hashirama alone. I will give you a small tour of the village afterward.”

Sakura continued to frown but nodded in compliance, her eyes barely drifting to Hashirama’s before she bowed correctly and walked back toward the main house.

“She is your student Madara, there is no doubt, but you could have saved her the strife of your attitude.” Hashirama rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes following the pink head as Sakura walked away from them.

“She meant no disrespect, you know that Hashi. How else was she to earn Tobirama’s respect. You know your brother and you know she is right. Tobirama will think twice before insulting her again.” Madara took a deep breath and looked up at the clouds in the sky. It was a beautiful day.

“Perhaps. I am willing to admit that part of his animosity toward her stems from his dislike of you no.” Hashirama laughed good naturedly and they made their way to the back porch of the main house that overlooked the garden.

“No doubt.” Madara smiled at his friend.

“Sakura hasn’t been on any missions. The only shinobi she has ever sparred with, fought with is me. She will need to go on some lower ranked missions to gain basic experience.” Madara told his friend knowing he would tell his brother.

“Why hasn’t she been on any missions of her rank Madara, I know you, there is something you haven’t told me...aside from the obvious like why you left the village in the first place and why you’re back...with Sakura Chan.” Hashirama spoke easily as was his nature.

“I’ve made many mistakes. Izuna being the most tragic.” Madara looked back up at the sky. “I’ve been given an opportunity Hashi, to fix them. Sakura is only the beginning.”

Hashirama nodded. “We’ve all made mistakes my friend. We should have ended that bloody war of ours long before Izuna died. If I could change that, if I could bring him back for you...I would.” Hashirama looked down at his hands while Madara continued to look up...at the clouds.

“What is done is done. It is in the past.” His eyes wandered to the doors behind them, the doors to Sakura’s living quarters and he smiled. The gesture was not lost on Hashirama.

“Where did you find her and how was it that you have been training her since she was a child Madara?” Hashirama asked, his curiosity could no longer be contained.

“You sealed my soul to Konoha. We had a defining battle, you and I...and I lost.” Madara turned his head to his friend. “I was sealed away for four hundred years to the village we founded together, by you, my best friend, for my sins.”

Madara saw the realization flood Hashirama’s eyes and his mouth tightened. “So, you had already thought of it.”

“You were gone for six months Madara. Rumor had it that you were trying to capture the nine tailed fox to destroy Konoha.” Hashirama swallowed. “Did you resent me that much? Did you hate me for not listening to you about peace and the repetition of history past?”

“I did and I was.” Madara sighed. It was never easy admitting when you were wrong, particularly for him. They had both grown up in a world of war, where perfection was not only demanded, it was expected.

“I was...mistaken. It only took me four hundred years to understand, peace is gained through trust and vigilance, that true peace can only come from a pure heart. That is why I brought Sakura here. To our time. She has the purest heart I have ever seen Hashi, she is untainted by war and bloodshed...she is not only my salvation but all of ours, Konoha’s.” Madara looked at his friend’s open mouthed expression.

“I sealed you and it took you four hundred years to...love?” Hashirama frowned, he had made the seal to help Madara, he had never expected it to take his friend that long to learn to love someone other than himself, his clan and his ambitions.

“Love?” Madara frowned again. “Your seal…”

“Yes.” Hashirama smiled at his friend. “My seal could only be broken by love Madara. I.. wanted you to understand, to see the value in loving someone again, after Izuna. I wanted you to be happy.”

‘Love’, Madara said to himself. “She broke your seal and that of your brother, the one he placed on the Naka Shrine of my ancestors that sent me back to the beginning when you sealed me over and over each time I tried to enter my shrine...as a ghost...as a broken soul. He didn’t want me to return, he knew about your seal then, and what would break it.” Madara ground his teeth.

Even if he had learned to love and accept his mistakes...Tobirama had taken steps to ensure Madara would never return to the living...bastard. Madara clenched his fists at his sides.

“No, Tobirama would never do such a thing.” Hashirama began to protest.

“He did.” Madara growled. “Ask Sakura, as I said, she is the one who broke his seal for me. She is the reason I am here now.”

Hashirama remained quiet, his thoughts racing around his head at his friend’s claim. “I’m sorry Madara. I don’t know why I would have let Tobi do such a thing to you.”

“You didn’t.” Madara unclenched his fists, he could hear the sincerity in Hashirama’s voice. He almost didn’t wish to be the one to enlighten him...almost. “Tobirama placed his demonic seal on the Naka Shrine after your death in the first shinobi world war.”

“The first shinobi world war?” Hashirama gasped.

“It ended with an armistice treaty, but only after all of the Five Great Nations had been seriously damaged. Even then, the peace only lasted another twenty years until the Second Shinobi World War erupted.” Madara spoke softly recalling the small window of carnage he had witnessed as the dead and wounded that could be retrieved were brought back to Konoha.

“It was horrific Hashi, like nothing the shinobi war had ever seen.” Madara looked back over his shoulder where he knew Sakura was listening. “I want to change that. I want to prevent the first war, the second and the third, with your help, with Sakura’s help...I believe it is possible.”

“You’ve changed my old friend.” Hashirama smiled widely at Madara making him slightly uncomfortable.

“So I have. Like I said it only took me four hundred years and a little girl who possessed chakra in a world that had long forgotten it’s true meaning, a world who considered it magic, a generated figment of our ancient imaginations to place a name and explanation for the natural order of the world.” Madara snorted.

“What do you mean?” Hashirama asked curiously.

“In Sakura’s time, there was no chakra, no shinobi. Before her, there hadn’t been any chakra in Konoha for over one hundred years, maybe even longer. Time stretched on and I had lost count of the years.” Madara waved his hand dismissing that small technicality.

“I found her quite by accident.” Madara laughed. “In a museum to commemorate Konoha and us, as it’s founders.”

Hashirama smiled, fascinated by Madara’s words. “...and you trained her?”

“Of course I did, only...in the beginning, I had planned on using her, for my own selfish means. I was going to drain her of her chakra and break the seal myself that your brother cast on my shrine.” Madara stiffened slightly, he could feel Sakura’s tension behind him. Madara nodded to Hashirama, yes, he knew she was listening too. 

“As I trained her though, I’m not exactly sure when it happened but I began to feel something more, something deeper than my own desires, my own ambition.” Madara shrugged. 

“I didn’t want to hurt her, to use her like I had planned so I trained her to be stronger, how to use her chakra and...she became like...family to me.” Madara cleared his throat in his embarrassment.

“It was love.” Hashirama cooed, annoying Madara and embarrassing him further. Hashirama began to understand why Madara had brought her with him now.

“Don’t be an idiot.” Madara scoffed knowing full well his friend was absolutely correct. “It was affection to be sure, but love...I’m not even sure what love is anymore.”

“Love can be many things.” Hashirama smiled at his friend, winking and nudging him, casting furtive glances over his shoulder at the door he knew Sakura was sitting behind, listening to their conversation.

“I am not having that conversation with you.” Madara glared at his friend. “If you’re quite finished, I wish to take Sakura for a tour of the village.”

“So it’s true then, she is from the future?” Hashirama rose to his feet and stretched beside his friend.

Madara nodded.

“That explains a lot. Are women so different in the future?” Hashirama scratched his chin contemplating his own question.

“I am not familiar enough with women in this time to be able to answer that for you, perhaps your question would be better directed at Sakura. What do you say, Sakura? Are women very different in this time from your own?” Madara rapped his hand against the door behind him.

Sakura slid the door open, her cheeks pink. “I couldn’t say Madara, not having had any interactions with women here other than the servants of your house.”

“Let’s remedy that shall we? You heard our conversation, would you care to join me for a walk through the village?” Madara held his hand out expectantly.

“Ah yes, thank you.” Sakura glanced at Hashirama who was smiling much more warmly at her now than he had before his and Madara’s conversation.

“Thank you Sakura Chan. For bringing my friend back to me.” Hashirama bowed low, taking Sakura’s free hand and kissing it fervently.

“Don’t kiss her hand like that dobe!” Madara smacked Hashirama on the back of the head making Sakura giggle.


	11. Chapter 11

Eyes followed them wherever they went. Curious eyes, angry eyes...suspicious eyes.

“Why is everyone looking at us, Madara?” Sakura stared down a man who had been snickering and making side comments to his friend at one of the many food stands in the market district as they passed by. The man averted his eyes and looked down at the ground, looking back up only after they had walked several stands down from the one where he was sitting.

“Ignore them, love, let them talk.” Madara led her down a side street to a small tea shop. “Would you care for some tea and perhaps a small snack?”

“That sounds great.” Sakura smiled as he lifted the screen for her to duck under and walk ahead of him.

“Lord Uchiha, thank you for choosing my tea shop. What may I get for you and your...Lady?” An older woman, the assumed proprietor of the tea shop bowed low over their table.

“A pot of Jasmine tea, one plate of dango and another of plain rice cakes.” Madara ordered for both of them, which annoyed Sakura slightly.

“I could have ordered for myself you know.” Sakura huffed at Madara making the shop owner gasp.

Sakura turned her head to the older woman who quickly averted her eyes and ducked back behind the counter to prepare their tea.

“Do try to curb your tongue while we are out in public dear.” Madara said with mild amusement.

“Hum, I see the difference.” Sakura said absently ignoring his words as she looked around the small tea shop.

“You did very well this morning Sakura. Both Hashirama and his brother were impressed.” Madara leaned back in his seat as the old woman returned and poured them their tea.

“Tobirama is an asshole.” Sakura glared down at the plate of dango the old woman had set down in front of her gasping at Sakura’s harsh words.

“Well, he is.” Sakura looked at the woman, daring her to contradict her.

“Of course my Lady.” The old woman bowed low to Sakura.

Madara laughed out loud amused once again by his student’s antics. The old woman dropped the plate of rice cakes on the table and almost ran to the back of the shop.

“What was that about?” Sakura stared after the woman in utter confusion.

“The villagers of Konoha are not used to hearing a woman speak so...freely, nor are they used to hearing me...laugh.” Madara picked up one of the rice cakes and turned it over in his hand before biting into it.

“Well it’s about time they get used to it. I am not going to stop speaking my mind and you need to laugh more.” Sakura smiled as she pulled one of the sweet balls from her dango stick, closing her eyes and chewing in bliss.

Madara continued to smile at her as they ate. The proprietor came out of her back room only to clear the plates and to refill their tea pot.

“Why did you provoke her like that Tobi?” Hashirama leaned over his brother’s shoulder as he worked on one of his seals at his desk in the Hokage’s Tower.

“I didn’t provoke her, it was a reasonable question.” Tobirama sighed and set down his brush. He knew his brother wasn’t going to leave until he got all the answers he wanted, his seal would have to wait.

“It sounded more like an insulting statement than a question. You were deliberately insulting her, why?” Hashirama sat down in front of his brother, crossing one leg over the other bringing his ankle over his other knee.

“She claimed to be a medical shinobi, I merely wished to include a demonstration in her trial.” Tobirama looked out the window of his office refusing to meet his brother’s eyes, a strange occurrence in their usual dynamics.

“Well, she did, didn’t she. It was amazing wasn’t it?” Hashirama laughed out right recalling the look of shock on his brother’s face that the woman had not only managed to surprise him but injure him as well.

“She attacked me.” Tobirama said hotly.

“She healed you better than I could have...and she did it effortlessly Tobi. She’s good.” Hashirama said more seriously. “She deserves your respect Tobi, stop speaking to her with your misdirected animosity. Haven’t you done enough to Madara already by killing Izuna?”

“What? I...it was war Hashirama...you know that I...that’s not what this is about. Madara may look like he has changed but he hasn’t. Don’t let him fool you again. His student, his lover, whatever that woman is to him, I don’t trust her either.” Tobirama scowled.

“Her name is Sakura, start her off on low level missions Tobi, with a seasoned shinobi who will understand her unique position. Madara is not the same man he used to be. If you would stop and put the past behind you, maybe you could see what I see in him. Think about it Tobi.” Hashirama smiled ruefully at his younger brother. “For Konoha Tobi.”

Tobirama continued to look out the window of his office long after his brother had left. That woman...there was something about her that really got under his skin. He couldn’t place it, he wasn’t sure what it was but he...wanted to speak with her...get to know her better. He hated it, this...whatever it was he was feeling. 

“What the hell is wrong with me.” Tobirama ran his fingers through his thick white hair and glared at his reflection in the window. He needed to focus.

Sakura would need a mission. Tobirama turned away from his window to thumb through the requests that had come in last night and that morning. ‘Perhaps a C-rank mission, an escort mission’, he hummed as he picked through the papers finding the one he was looking for.

“There are some things you will need that I was unable to get for you in your modern time. You will need more kunai, shuriken, wire, paper bombs, flash bombs and other such items for your missions.” Madara said conversationally as they left the tea shop.

“Likewise, you will need soldier pills and some chakra focusing gloves for your more dangerous attacks. All things I couldn’t get from the museum but are much more easily obtained here in this time.” He stopped in front of an unmarked doorway and opened the door for her to enter before him.

“Lord Madara, how may I be of service to you today?” A tall man with a vivid scar across his face bowed low to Madara while casting a polite, if not curious glance at Sakura.

“My student requires some gear. Standard shinobi gear, a fully stocked medic pack with soldier pills and a pair of chakra controlling gloves if you have them.” Madara placed their order.

“Ah, your student, of course.” The man hesitated. “Shinobi gear, you do not wish for the young lady to have kunoichi gear?”

Madara understood the meaning behind the question. It was best if they learned up front about Sakura and quickly. Let this man be the one to tell the others. “No, I trained her to be a shinobi, not a kunoichi. If that is an issue, there are other shops.” Madara gave the clerk a hard look.

“No, of course not Madara Sama, please forgive my rudeness.” The clerk bowed low and ran to the back room to get the things Madara had requested.

“Are you always so rude?” Sakura relaxed her back against the counter and looked at Madara with interest.

“I am the Clan Head of the Uchiha Sakura, he was second guessing my request. It was within my right to correct his false way of thinking.” Madara sighed, this was just the beginning, she didn’t understand.

“I understand that, you don’t seem to understand, or care about the general effect your words and tone have on people. If you talked like that to me all the time it would upset me.” She pointed out logically. 

“Try being a little nicer. I mean, you don’t have to jeopardize your title or your position by acting complacent but a slightly less edgy tone...goes a long way. Oh, and saying please and thank you, is easy and makes people happy.” Sakura smiled pleasantly at him, her arms at her sides.

“You're patronizing me.” Madara grimaced.

“Maybe a little.” Sakura laughed and patted him on the chest gently, blushed , then pulled her hand back quickly.

Madara looked down at his chest where she had touched him. “I’ll...consider your advice.”

The clerk’s mouth dropped open in surprise behind the curtain as he counted out soldier pills into a small bag for the medical kit he was preparing. He had heard their entire conversation. Who the hell was this girl who could speak to the Lord Uchiha with such familiarity...and have him not only allow her to speak her mind so freely but also take her words into consideration.

Curiously, the man stole several quick glances at Sakura as he brought out both the medical kit and the shinobi gear pouches Lord Madara had requested. She was a small thing, with strange green eyes and pastel pink hair. Madara’s student? She didn’t look like a ninja…

“Thank you.” Madara laid some large coins on the counter as payment, surprising the man into a choked out response and an unsteady bow.

Sakura’s eye lit up at the sight of the chakra control gloves the clerk had set on the counter and didn’t notice the look of wonder on his face but Madara had.

“If these suit her I will be placing a custom order for more, will you be able to fulfill that request?” Madara asked the clerk who was still looking at Sakura as she infused her now gloved fists, with chakra and threw a few punches into the air.

“Uh, yes of course Lord Madara. I would be pleased to make the young lady some more gloves.” The clerk bowed.

Madara cast a quick glance of his own at Sakura before turning back to the clerk and muttering a quick, “Thank you.”

“Oh! It was a great pleasure Lord Uchiha!” The clerk smiled a genuine smile and bowed even lower than he had before to Madara.

“See Madara, being nice helps. Doesn’t it?” Sakura turned to the clerk who gasped at her audacity to say something so forward in the Lord Uchiha’s presence...about the Lord Uchiha.

“Uh uh...yes, thank you. I am grateful for your kindness Lord Uchiha.” The man’s forehead almost touched the low counter he had bowed so deeply.

Sakura laughed. “I told you so.” She smirked and Madara rolled his eyes.

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself, love. Come, there is another stop I wish to make before returning to the compound.” He placed his hand to the small of her back and guided her gently from the shop back out onto the busy street.

“Amazing.” The clerk muttered once the door to his shop had closed behind the Uchiha Clan head and his student. 

Like everyone in Konoha, the clerk had heard about the founder’s discontent and how he had left the village angry swearing revenge and to change the course of the world. The man that had just left his shop...was nothing like the man that had left the village six months ago and the clerk couldn’t help but wonder if it was due to the influence of his little pink haired student...who spoke to him without fear, like an equal.

“Thank you Madara, I love these gloves. I can feel my chakra flooding into them, it is much easier to focus my chakra into a single point with these on.” Sakura flexed her fingers pushing her chakra in and out of the gloves as they walked.

“We will test them before your first mission...in the forest outside of the village walls.” He added recalling the first time she had punched a crater into the ground while experimenting with Lady Tsunade’s archived chakra techniques. It had nearly brought down his valley around their ears. The local news stations had called it an Earthquake.

“Great!” Sakura bounced along beside him, pleased with her new gear and gloves.

“Where else did we need to go?” She asked him pocketing her gloves in her pouch.

“You need clothes.” He led her down another side street.

“I have clothes. Kiyomi said my clothes should be finished by tomorrow, do I need more than three outfits right now?” Sakura asked.

Madara’s face flushed slightly. “You will need women’s underclothes.” He clarified.

“I bought lots of those and sealed them into my storage scroll before we left.” She told him.

“Kunoichi under clothes. I do not approve of your wearing such...undergarments.” He opened the door to a smaller shop than the one they had been in before and nearly pushed her inside. He knew of which undergarments she spoke of and he would rather be tortured by Kumo nin than let her parade around in such items. The very thought of those scraps made his whole body flush.

“I don’t see why it bothers you, and then you don’t have to buy me new things. This has got to be costing you a lot of money.” She complained all the way up to the counter.

“The Uchiha have plenty of money, do not worry about the cost. It is my desire for you to wear proper clothing, Sakura.” Madara ignored the woman behind the counter who had bowed low to him upon his approach.

“No one is going to see it but me, so who cares?” Sakura was getting fed up with all this control he seemed to be obsessed with.

“I care, it isn’t proper. You are my student, there is already talk of your strange speech and strange behavior, do you not see the way people look at you woman?” He demanded making the woman behind the counter shrink back into the shelves behind her.

“I don’t care how they look at me, it’s clear I’m out of my element but that doesn’t mean you need to be so fucking controlling you know!” Sakura was getting mad.

“I am your clan head, you will do as I say.” Madara lowered his voice in a vain attempt to regain his composure.

“I have done everything you have ever asked of me for training and I will continue to do so, but I will not let you tell me what to wear under my clothes!” Sakura slammed her palm down onto the counter in frustration...or perhaps protest.

“You’re embarrassing yourself. You’re making a scene.” Madara waved to the woman behind the counter who looked as though she were ready to run into her backroom only to emerge again at their departure. In fact Madara was sure she would have done so by now if she hadn’t been just as worried she might offend him by doing so.

Madara shook his head and began to laugh. The situation was just so...

Sakura paused, her mouth open to say something snarky at her mentor. “What’s so funny?” Her mouth began to twitch as well.

He couldn’t help it, he didn’t care how he looked, he couldn’t hold it in. Madara laughed out loud and smiled at the pink haired hellion. “Only you can piss me off and then make me laugh woman.”

“Oh.” Sakura blushed, pleased with his words. “Well, I guess I’m good for something.”

“Indeed.” Madara smiled at the woman behind the counter, startling her even further.

“My student requires three sets of kunoichi undergarments please.” Madara spoke to the woman who stared at him as though he were a talking fish. “Er, if you have time?”

“Oh!” The woman flushed and bowed low again remembering herself and who was speaking to her. 

“Yes Madara Sama, forgive me your student uh, startled me with her, uh colorful disposition!” The woman bowed low again and ran into her back room returning moments later with three sets of one size fit all undergarments.

Sakura picked up the top piece and looked at it with confusion pulling it apart and fingering the little ties on the sides. “How do I put this on?” Sakura looked expectantly at the woman to provide her with an answer.

“How do you… oh ah…” The woman stuttered, she had never been asked that before...everyone knew how to put on undergarments.

“Kiyomi will show you when we return to the compound Sakura.” Madara placed a coin on the counter. “Thank you.”

The woman bowed low again, only looking up again as Lord Madara and his student left her store.

“Kami, did that just happen?” She fanned herself before going into the backroom to find and tell her husband that Lord Uchiha had just been in their store, thanked her and that his student had no idea how to put on undergarments.

Sakura didn’t think it was possible with such a small population but it seemed to her that more and more villagers were walking around and behind her and Madara as they made their way back to the Uchiha compound.

Madara hid his smile. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Sakura took in the growing number of villagers, who were ‘Walking’, down the same street as they were while ‘Looking’ at the stands and stalls as they passed by.

“It seems Konoha is aware of their newest and oddest resident shinobi, Sakura.” Madara teased her openly, making her scrunch her shoulders up around her ears.

“I can see that.” She muttered, making him laugh out loud again starting two Uchiha maids who were buying fish at the compound gates.

“Why do you have the gates closed Madara? It closes you off from the rest of the village, it doesn’t exactly scream welcome to the Uchiha district.” Sakura observed the suspicious looks some of the villagers gave them as the doors to the gates opened and then closed again behind them.

Madara paused, he had never thought of it that way. They had always closed the gates out of habit.

“Open the gates and stand guard on each side, a relaxed guard.” Madara called to his guards in the cat walk of the gate towers.

“Ye Yes Lord Uchiha.” The guards looked at one another before dropping down and pushing the gates back open. 

Sakura watched as villagers stopped to look into the compound, started to walk away then stop as they realized the gates weren’t closing again right away…

“See!” Sakura pointed to several villagers who had stopped to look into the compound. 

Sakura waved at them. Slowly with a look to one another, one of the villagers...waved back. Sakura smiled widely as two more villagers waved to her. Sakura continued to wave back at the villagers as she smiled.

‘I’ll be damned, it’s working’, Madara smiled and raised his own hand in greeting.

The villagers froze, looked at the ground and walked away quickly. Madara frowned. He had done the same thing as Sakura, had he done it incorrectly somehow?

Sakura exploded into unhinged peels of laughter beside him. “Your face!” She pointed shamelessly at him as she continued to laugh.

“Is she insane, he is going to kill her.” One of the guards said to the other.

Some more villagers stopped to look into the compound drawn in by Sakura’s laughter.

“Are you quite done Sakura?” Madara rolled his eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching.

“Almost, oh man.” Sakura wheezed, her laughter finally dying down. 

“I needed that. It’s been very stressful since we’ve come here.” She wiped her eyes that had moistened while she had laughed.

“As long as you’re happy, I am as well.” Madara smiled at the woman, ignoring the interested looks beyond the now open gates of the Uchiha District.

Tobirama watched the villagers watch Madara and Sakura. He understood their confusion, it was an odd sight to behold. Not only were the gates to the formerly locked down and closed off Uchiha district, but Madara Uchiha, the formidable, the humorless clan head was standing in the middle, just inside the gates, smiling at the laughing pink haired woman...for all to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and that's what three chapters today...I'm all out lol. I hope you enjoyed them. I enjoyed writing them. Until next time...jamatta!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...okay one more chapter, now I'm taking a break :)

“My mission is with you?” Sakura glared at the Senju. 

“It is a simple C-Rank, escort mission Sakura San. Something to acclimate you to the stresses of...our times.” Tobirama grimaced.

Much to Madara’s displeasure Hashirama had shared the details of his return and Sakura’s presence with his younger brother after returning home yesterday afternoon.

“With you.” Sakura continued to glare at the white haired menace.

“If you wish to be a real shinobi, you must learn to work with less than ideal...teammates Sakura San. Consider this, advanced training.” Tobirama said evenly, voice void of emotion.

“Fine.” Sakura took the scroll from Tobirama’s hand and tucked it into her belt. “When do we leave?”

“Meet me at the front gate in one hour. Our client will be waiting for us. Be ready to go and don’t be late.” Tobirama turned on his heel and walked out of the Uchiha compound, without looking back. He could feel the eyes on his back, like he had almost everyday since the founding of Konoha. The Uchiha still hadn’t forgiven him for killing Izuna...just like he hadn’t forgiven them for killing his two younger brothers.

“He is testing you Sakura. You did well to accept the mission.” Madara came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

Sakura had known he had been watching of course, but that didn’t change the details of her mission. She pulled the scroll from her belt and unfurled it reading through the mission outline...her first mission.

Madara could feel the excited energy running through her body. “Stay alert. You shouldn’t run into any difficulties on a C-Rank mission. Tobirama is a brute, but he is a very skilled shinobi, you have nothing to worry about.”

“I’m not worried, I’m excited. I won’t let you down Madara.” Sakura bit her bottom lip and turned her head back and to the side to look up at Madara.

“I know.” He was worried...not about the mission, but...he hadn’t let her out of his sight for more than six hours at a time for over fourteen years. He took the mission scroll from her hands and read it.

“The mission is an escort to Benisu Island. You will be gone for two weeks. Typically you will travel across land to the border of Fire and Hot Water, a ship will then carry all three of you to Benisu Island, where you will guard the client while they gather herbs, then you will escort them back to the Fire.” Madara handed her back her mission scroll.

“It is a decent first mission Sakura. It will pay well and give you both travel experience for the time and client experience.” Tobirama had picked a very good first mission for his student.

“Take this purse with you. I know you probably have everything you will ever need in your storage scroll, but in case there is something you need such as a service or a bribe, take this purse.” Madara handed her a decent sized purse.

“Thank you Madara.” Sakura tied the purse to her belt and tucked it behind the cover of her obi. “I should go pack.”

Madara nodded. There were things he needed to do, elders he needed to speak with and papers he needed to sign but that could wait...until she left for her mission. He watched her walk across the courtyard and enter her rooms beside the garden through the back door.

He wouldn’t embarrass her with a public farewell at the gate, or himself for that matter. With decision he walked to the door she had disappeared behind and slid it open, entering her bedroom.

“Lord Uchiha!” Kiyomi bowed low, surprised at the Clan head’s sudden appearance in her lady’s bedchamber.

“Madara?” Sakura looked up from where she had been sealing her newly made clothes into her traveling scroll. “What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting with the elders?”

“Kiyomi, may I please have a word with Sakura alone?” Madara dismissed the maid.

“Of of course Lord Madara.” Kiyomi looked at Sakura who didn’t seem to understand why this was incredibly inappropriate. “I’ll be right outside Sakura Sama, in the sitting room if you need me.”

“Go and prepare some dried goods for Sakura’s mission as well as some wrapped teas Kiyomi.” Madara wanted her out of Sakura’s quarters, he didn’t want to be overheard.

“Yes, Madara Sama.” Kiyomi blushed and left the room on her knees sliding the door shut behind her.

“Everything okay Madara?” Sakura asked, curious of his behavior.

“You know that Hashirama told Tobirama you are from a different time, be careful what you tell him on your mission Sakura. Remember he is the one who placed that second seal on the Naka Shrine. The seal that would have, if not for you, prevented me from ever returning to my time.” Madara reminded her.

“I remember Madara. I will be careful.” Sakura tried to smile at the man. 

“I’ll...miss you. It is going to be strange, being away from you.” Sakura laughed. “I sound like a little kid don’t I?”

“No. I have faith in your abilities. I taught you to be strong and you are. Come home safe.” Madara hugged her briefly and then stepped back and away from her.

“I will Madara.” Sakura smiled as Kiyomi knocked on her bedroom door. “I have to go, I don’t want to be late for my first mission.”

Madara nodded as Kiyomi handed Sakura her dried goods and tea to seal away into her scroll.

“I’ll see you in two weeks.” Sakura waved to him as she left her room.

“See you in two weeks.” Madara watched as Kiyomi slid the door shut behind Sakura.

Kiyomi sat beside the door with her head down waiting for Madara to either leave or to give her an order. When she hadn’t heard anything for several minutes she thought he had left. However, when she looked up she saw that he was still standing in the same position he had been when Sakura had left her room, a worried expression on his face. Immediately, she ducked her head again.

The maid’s small movement brought Madara out of his thoughts. “Thank you for helping Sakura Kiyomi. Make sure her rooms are well taken care of while she is gone and...go to the market and buy anything you think she might like for her return.” Madara tossed a smaller purse on the bed than the one he had given Sakura moments ago.

“Yes Lord Madara.” Kiyomi kept her head bowed until she was sure he had left the room this time.

Lord Madara had thanked her for doing what was expected of her, had told her to buy things that Sakura might like and the look of...tenderness on his face when she had looked up...did Lady Sakura know how Lord Madara felt about her? 

Kiyomi wasn’t sure. It wasn’t any of Kiyomi’s business, but the other maids were wrong. Sakura wasn’t just a passing interest to Lord Madara. Kiyomi might be young, but her parents had been in love and her father had looked at her mother the way Lord Madara had been looking at Lady Sakura.

As expected Tobirama was waiting for her by the front gate, their client beside him. Sakura took in Tobirama’s short spiky hair as she walked toward him. His eyes were on her as well but held none of the animosity that she had come to expect from him. Now they held something between interest and...was it pity?

Sakura cocked her head to the side. Why would he pity her?

“Is this the kunoichi you said would be joining us on the mission Senju San?” The young man beside Tobirama said loudly as his eyes scanned Sakura from head to foot.

“Yes Takeda San, this is Haruno Sakura, a very skilled and deadly kunoichi.” Tobirama said sternly.

Sakura blinked in surprise. Tobirama had complimented her? Her eyes flickered back to those of the client...he was leering at her. “Ah.” Sakura made a noise of complete understanding.

“My my aren’t you the beautiful one.” Takeda San whistled at her appreciatively. “Lucky me.”

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the obnoxious man. 

“Are you ready Sakura Chan?” Tobirama narrowed his eyes at her, willing her to understand.

“Uh, yes, of course Tobi Kun.” Sakura smiled sweetly at Takeda San. “After you, Takeda San.”

Tobirama groaned internally at the kunoichi. Their client was going to be annoying in himself, did she have to further torture him with nicknames?

Madara had gone over the standard team formations with her before traveling back. Sakura knew that this formation, the captain, Tobirama in the front, the client Takeda San in the middle, and Sakura covering the rear, was a standard two man team escort formation. Takeda San, however, did not.

“How long have you been a kunoichi Sakura Chan?” Takeda smiled charmingly at Sakura.

Sakura rolled her eyes. “Long enough Takeda San, please walk in between Tobi Kun and I, so that we may better protect you.” Sakura said diplomatically.

“I would rather walk beside you, the view is much better from this angle.” Takeda San continued to smile at Sakura.

Takeda San was a handsome man, Sakura wouldn’t deny that. He had large expressive eyes of a light soft brown and, hair that fell just below his shoulders in a gentle flowing sort of way, but she had a job to do, and he was annoying her...tremendously.

“How old are you Sakura Chan?” Takeda asked after they had walked a mile in silence.

“Age does not determine skill level Takeda San.” Sakura answered him while scanning their surroundings as they walked.

Takeda San made a small mew of displeasure at her lack of enthusiasm to converse with him. “It is a long walk Sakura Chan, I only wished to pass the time by getting to know my escorts a little better.”

“Then please ask Tobi Kun some questions, I am sure he would be flattered by your attention, more than I.” Sakura inclined her head politely.

“Oh, I understand. You like women is that it?” Takeda San rubbed his chin. “How boring.”

“I do not like women, you little...just because I’m not” Sakura was cut off from a loud cough from Tobirama who had stopped, turned and had his arms crossed over his chest.

“Sakura, please refrain from yelling at the client or from calling him names.” Tobirama’s mouth twitched.

“Sorry Tobi Kun.” Sakura smiled sweetly at the white haired man, her smile falling into a frown as soon as Tobirama turned back around to resume their journey.

Takeda San laughed and threw Sakura a flirtatious wink. Sakura groaned loudly and proceeded to ignore the annoying pest until nightfall.

“We will be stopping at this Inn for the evening. Takeda San, I have already booked your room, it is across the hall from ours. Allow me to inspect your room before you retire for the evening.” Tobirama handed Takeda San his room key.

“Our room?” Sakura asked Tobirama.

“Yes.” Tobirama spared her a quick glance. Surely Madara had told her they would be sharing a room to lessen mission costs?

“You are more than welcome to stay with me in my room Sakura Chan.” Takeda San offered with another one of his sly smiles.

“That will not be necessary Takeda San. Let us check your room for the evening. I will have food brought up to you. Sakura here is our room key, I will see you shortly.” Tobirama pushed their room key into her hand and pushed Takeda San up the stairs to his room with the other hand.

“Thank you Tobi Kun.” Sakura followed them up the stairs, careful to leave enough space in between herself and Takeda San.

Sakura had never seen an Inn quite like the one they were staying in before. She opened the door to their room and looked around. It was simple, plain and serviceable. She loved it.

With a quick ear to the door she heard Takeda complaining to Tobirama about the lack of amenities. “What does he expect? An indoor pool and billiards?” She laughed at her own words.

“What is a billiard?” Tobirama asked her as he entered their room and set his pack on the table provided.

“Oh.” Sakura turned to face him. “It’s a game, with um, sticks and balls on a table with pockets, you try to hit the balls into the pockets.”

Tobirama stared at her as if expecting her to continue.

“That’s it. Um, it’s fun actually.” Sakura swung her arms at her side, not quite sure what to think of her situation.

“Hm.” Tobirama sat on the end of the bed and began to remove his boots.

Sakura turned again and looked out their window.

“Tomorrow I want you to accompany me in sealing Takeda’s room for the evening. I thought it best if I do it alone tonight, so he doesn’t harbor false, hopes.” Tobirama avoided her eye.

“Is this typical? The way he is acting?” Sakura asked.

Tobirama dropped his boots to the floor and rubbed his chin. “Do men not flirt with women in your time?”

“Well, yes but, he is very bold. Madara told me that most civilians respected kunoichi.” Sakura sat down on the bed beside Tobirama, her added weight barely made the man move at all.

“Most do but...most kunoichi don’t ah, look like you.” Tobirama got up from the bed and placed his boots under the table by the door.

“What does that mean?” Sakura narrowed her eyes at the man.

“Most kunoichi are more...manly than you, you are very, feminine and...pretty.” The tips of Tobirama’s ears were turning pink but he held her eyes with his, refusing to be the weaker of the two.

“Oh. Thank you.” Sakura turned away first.

Sakura and Tobirama barely spoke for the rest of the evening. Each eating their meals on opposite sides of the room. 

Sakura used the bathroom first that night, filling the tub with a minor water jutsu and lighting the fire to heat the water. She washed and conditioned her hair, wrapping the towel around her head. She emerged from the bathroom in her sleeping clothes to find Tobirama on the bed reading a book.

She had managed to forget they would be sharing a bed until that moment, her face flushed with more than the heat of her bath as she moved across the room to ‘Her’ side of the bed and towel dried her hair.

“I refilled the bath for you and stoked the fire. Do you need shampoo?” She asked as he walked toward the bathroom.

“Shampoo?” His lips formed the foreign word making her smile.

“Um, scented soap, for your hair. It smells like coconuts.” Sakura pulled the bottle of coconut shampoo from her storage scroll and handed it to him.

“Thank you.” Tobirama held the shampoo bottle out and away from his body as though it were a dangerous substance, and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Sakura giggled into her towel to muffle the noise.

Tobirama set the bottle of ‘Shampoo’ on the side board of the wooden tub and tested the water. He added two more logs to the fire under the tub and picked up the bottle of ‘Shampoo’ again opening the screw top via the imprinted directions on the side of the bottle and sniffed. In his surprise he dropped the bottle with a loud thud.

Hastily, he bent over to pick the bottle up and set it back on the side board. It smelled exactly what he remembered coconuts to smell like from a brief childhood mission to the Crescent Moon Island. He wondered if it also tasted like coconuts but shook his head at his foolishness, it was a soap wasn’t it?

Tobirama sent out his chakra before getting into the tub. Takeda was in his room and Sakura...was on their bed. Tobirama swallowed and stepped into the bath. He knew from the look on her face that Madara hadn’t told her that they would be sharing a room. Why hadn’t he told her...then Tobirama remembered the large money pouch under her obi. Madara had intended for her to buy her own room with the money he had given her.

Ah.

Tobirama frowned. He didn’t know Sakura that well but he thought...she might not like special treatment. A woman who left everything behind to be a shinobi...a woman who came from a world where there weren’t any shinobi, wouldn’t want to be treated differently. Madara was doing her a disservice by coddling her. It made him wonder what their true relationship was.

The woman claimed she was his student and he was her master, but Madara’s actions suggested otherwise. Did Sakura know though? Tobirama couldn’t even begin to wonder what her time was like and how society viewed social interactions. From her own sharp tongue he had gathered, as had his brother, that women were allowed much more freedom and respect than they had now, in his time.

Also, the way Sakura had reacted to Takeda San indicated women also got to choose who they married and possibly when they married. A wild thought for this time.

Tobirama cupped his hands and splashed water over his face and dunked his head forward into the water. Reaching to the side, he took the shampoo bottle and shook it mildly. With only the slightest hesitation he squeezed a bit of the substance into the palm of his hand and slapped it over his head. Nothing happened.

He picked up the bottle again and wiped the water from his eyes. “Lather, rinse and repeat as needed.” He read. Oh. Tobirama put the bottle down and started lathering his head with the shampoo. 

“Strange.” He muttered to himself as the soap began to foam and suds over his head making him squint in pain as the foam dripped into his eyes. 

“Ack.” he dunked his head in the water and rinsed just like the bottle had told him to.

Rising from the tub he sniffed at his arm. He smelled like coconuts. With a quick look at the bathroom door he wondered what other kinds of ‘Shampoo’ Sakura had brought with her from the future.

Sakura was asleep when Tobirama emerged from the bathroom. Her even breath soft in the darkened room. Tobirama tsked lightly as her lack of awareness, he would have to do something about that, it made her a liability on a mission.

He set her bottle of shampoo on the table by the door, checking the seals across the hall on Takeda’s door before sealing their own. He had left his formula on the floor in Takeda’s room, if there was trouble he could be in the room in an instant. He doubted there would be any trouble until they reached the island, but one could never be too careful.

Tobirama looked down at the bed. He could see Sakura’s outline clearly and swallowed. It was common to share a bed on a mission but he had never shared a bed with a woman before. Any missions he took were solo at his level and before that, they had been at war with the Uchiha. Any shinobi he would have slept with, would have been a clansman, or his brother.

Sakura rolled over in her sleep, the covers slipping down her shoulder a few inches. Tobirama ran his hand over his face...was she wearing a shirt..oh yes, there were straps but…

With a small intake of breath he pulled the covers back a little more and slid into the bed beside her, facing the opposite direction, his back to her. He closed his eyes and tried very hard not to hear the gentle soft coos of her breathing, or feel the heat from her body where she moved under the covers, her legs rubbing up against his own.

Tobirama rolled over onto his back after her small hand had grazed his lower back for the fifth time that night preventing him from falling asleep, again. Turning his head he could make out her form curled up into a little ball beside him. She was so small and...cute.

He threw back the covers of the bed and rolled out onto his feet. Covering her back up he pulled his sleeping mat from his storage scroll and laid it out on the floor. With a deep sigh he closed his eyes and willed his body to ignore the continuous soft sounds coming from the bed above. At least her little hands weren’t sending shivers up and down his spine and her soft legs weren’t torturing him anymore. Perhaps now, he could get at least two hours of sleep before they had to wake Takeda and walk another fifty miles.

Sakura was getting her own room at the next Inn, if he had to pay for the room himself, he would.


	13. Chapter 13

“How much farther are we going to go today?” Takeda complained.

“We will take a break for lunch soon Takeda San, please be patient.” Tobirama was annoyed. 

He hadn’t slept well, breakfast had been awkward...for him, and Takeda seemed to wilt under the lack of Sakura’s attention. Sakura had ignored every word the man had said since they had left the Inn over five hours ago.

Looking back over his shoulder he noticed Takeda seemed to be the only one who was tired. 

Madara must have given Sakura extensive endurance training...Tobirama was pleased. Admittedly, he had been concerned and annoyed when his brother had told him where and when Sakura had come from. He was also incredibly curious about the new scientific inventions and discoveries her time must have made.

It had explained quite a bit about her behavior and her speech. She didn’t seem as odd as she had before, just...out of place. Tobirama wondered again, what Madara had been thinking when he had decided to bring her back to the past with him. He understood why she had come...but surely Madara had to have known how much danger he was putting her in…

It was clear by her sound sleeping she came from a world with far less danger, he only hoped her nativity wouldn’t get her killed.

An hour later they stopped for lunch. Tobirama started a small fire while Takeda moaned about how much his feet hurt and how he should have hired a palanquin. Sakura rolled her eyes and pulled three instant ramen cups from her storage scroll.

“I will go to the river and get us some fish, Sakura Chan, you watch Takeda.” Tobirama stood and shook his clothes out.

“No need Tobi Kun, I have our lunch here, it is much quicker than catching and cooking fish.” Sakura smiled and pointed to the three Styrofoam cups.

“What are those?” Tobirama asked, looking at the cups with suspicion.

“Freeze dried noodles, all you have to do is add hot water, wait three minutes, stir and eat.” Sakura filled the kettle with a minor water jutsu and placed it in the fire to heat.

“Is that...from your old village?” Tobirama asked, his eyes cutting to Takeda who had picked up one of the packages and was looking at it curiously.

“Yes.” Sakura opened the lids of all three cups halfway, handing Takeda his cup back after doing so.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before, what village are you from, I thought you were a Konoha kunoichi?” Takeda asked her, all hint of flirtatious inappropriateness gone from his voice.

Sakura blinked in surprise. His voice, his normal voice was quite...charming. She reminded herself of the things Madara had taught her, not everyone is who they appear to be. She needed to be more vigilant...

“I was originally from a village...um...in the uncharted and unclaimed lands to the west.” Sakura said, looking at the kettle in the fire. 

“Very far from here.” She added quietly.

“How did you come to Konoha?” Takeda moved closer to her, pleased she wasn’t ignoring him anymore.

“I was, looking for a better life.” She tried to smile but Tobirama noticed the small quivering of her lips.

“I will refill our canteens while the water heats, and secure the perimeter.” Tobirama moved to collect Sakura and Takeda’s canteens, patting her briefly on the shoulder.

Sakura looked up, surprised by the thoughtful gesture. Tobirama had been in turn cold, then ridgid with her, either rude or aggressive when speaking to her and she hadn’t expected him to go out of his way to, comfort her. 

“How much farther do you think we will travel today?” Takeda asked her once Tobirama had left.

“We will continue until evening, like yesterday Takeda San.” Sakura poked the fire with a stick, moving a small branch closer to the kettle.

“How far into the west did you come from? Your speech, I couldn’t quite place it before, but now, I understand.” Takeda asked, looking at her curiously.

“Very far.” Sakura didn’t elaborate, mostly because she couldn’t. Madara had always told her, the less you say, the better.

“I have been to the west, it is a very wild and dangerous place.” Takeda tapped his fingers against his leg. “I met a clan there, some of them had pink hair, like yours. Haruno, you said your name was?”

Sakura looked up from the fire she had been watching and narrowed her eyes at the man. Her father had told her they had come from the west originally, before Konoha had been built, from a small clan in the mountains.

“Yes.” Sakura said.

“Your green eyes...you know, I wonder...are you perhaps from the western region over the mountains?” Takeda was watching her closely, Sakura realized.

‘Ah, so this was the difference’, Madara had told her civilians are so much easier to read than shinobi, unable to hide their perspiration, to control their breathing...or their eyes. He had pressed her to control her emotions and expressions as well, telling her she was too easily read. She had never managed to fully suppress that quirk of hers. 

However, she saw clearly now in Takeda what Madara had been explaining to her.

“No Takeda San, I come from a village even farther west than the mountains. I do not know the village you speak of.” Sakura smiled at the man.

Tobirama stepped out of the treeline back into the small clearing of their camp. He had heard enough. Sakura acknowledged him with a nod, taking her newly filled canteen from him. He noted she hadn’t been surprised at his departure. She knew he could have easily filled their canteens just as she had filled the kettle. Just as she knew he had been listening.

The main reason he had chosen to take her on this mission himself was not only because there were few he would trust with her unique situation, but because he also wanted to test her non combative shinobi skills such as tracking, awareness and casual interrogation. She had known why he had stepped away from their temporary camp...that was good. She had allowed Takeda to speak freely with her and had gleaned a bit of information from him without giving too much away of herself, also good.

Tobirama didn’t care for Madara Uchiha, but he had expected as much from a student of his. Sakura didn’t disappoint. Aside from her sleeping habits, he could find no real complaint about her skills, but they were only two days into the mission, there was time.

Sakura poured water into each of the ramen cups and handed one to Tobirama and one to Takeda. “Wait three minutes, then stir the noodles.”

Tobirama looked down at the ramen cup and watched the noodles expand. Interesting. “Did you make this?”

“I bought it uh, before I left my previous village.” Sakura shrugged.

Takeda stirred his noodles and looked up at Tobirama who was sitting across the fire from him, waiting to see if he was going to eat his cup of noodles. Tobirama looked at Sakura who smiled and nodded, stirring her noodles and taking a bite. Tobirama took a bite of his noodles.

“This is...really good.” Tobirama took another bite.

Sakura smiled at the surprise on his face and watched Takeda take a bite of his noodles. She giggled at the two men. They both had looks of surprise and delight on their faces. “I’m glad you like it.” She covered her smile with her hand.

Takeda groaned loudly as they stomped out their fire. “Are we really going to walk until evening again?”

“It’s how we will get to the coast to take a boat to the island.” Tobirama deadpanned.

Sakura covered her mouth again as she smiled. Tobirama didn’t mean to be humorous, but she couldn’t help but laugh at him. He was so serious all the time.

“We are only half a day from the coast. We will stay here tonight, then catch a midday ship to the island.” Tobirama gestured to the Inn behind them.

“Excellent.” Takeda rubbed his hands together. They had arrived before evening so there was time to explore the small village they were in before retiring for the evening. 

“Would you care to join me for dinner Sakura Chan? I am sure this village has some decent food stands or a nice tea shop. It isn’t as large as Konoha of course, but it is a decent size and should provide some entertainment.”

“Of course Takeda San, Tobi Kun and I had planned on joining you for dinner. We wouldn’t want you to get robbed or killed in a gambling house now would we?” Sakura smiled.

“We will have dinner at the Inn, in our rooms.” Tobirama told both of them.

“I am not going to sit in my room all evening with nothing to do.” Takeda crossed his arms over his chest like a child.

Sakura watched to see how Tobirama would handle this. Madara had warned her that some clients thought because they hired the shinobi they could tell them what to do for all aspects of the mission, even if it put them, the client, in more danger. He had spent several evenings entertaining her with stories of mission reports he had read to pass the time after Hashirama had sealed him away.

Some of them had ended with the ninja captain hitting or subduing the client. She wondered if Tobirama would hit Takeda if he complained enough.

“We may eat downstairs in the tavern, then we will retire to our rooms.” Tobirama compromised.

Takeda agreed to the compromise with bad grace but his mood lightened as he ordered two bottles of sake for their table and began drowning himself in drink.

Sakura looked around the Inn’s tavern. Most of the clientele were villagers and a few travelers like themselves. She supposed being closer to the coast they saw their share of shinobi and merchants alike traveling through their village.

“With the founding of Konoha many shinobi of other nations have come together to form other hidden villages. Not all of them are known to us or fully established yet though.” Tobirama told Sakura as he too, looked around at the other tavern occupants.

“Yes, I understand. Don’t think that they aren’t shinobi just because they don’t wear a headband.” He didn’t need to tell her that, she already knew.

“Why don’t you have a headband Sakura Chan?” Takeda asked her, tapping his own forehead.

“She will have one as soon as it is made for her.” Tobirama answered without looking at the man, his eyes focused on the corner of the tavern where three men sat, looking back at him.

Sakura closed her eyes briefly and felt around her for different energies, she felt the three in the back of the room, the ones Tobirama was looking at. She opened her eyes to find Tobirama looking at her. “Shinobi?”

He nodded. She needed to close her eyes to sense other shinobi? That needed to change.

“They are no threat to us, as of now. Continue as we were, but keep your senses up.” He advised.

“Of course Tobi Kun.” Sakura smiled.

“Where’s our food?” Takeda slurred and Sakura rolled her eyes. He was already on his second bottle and they hadn’t even started eating yet.

“It will come, be patient.” Tobirama was annoyed again.

“At least he’ll sleep tonight without complaint.” Sakura muttered under her breath.

“I got a room with two beds tonight.” Tobirama told Sakura as they walked up the stairs, Takeda balanced between them.

“Oh, okay.” Sakura nodded, trying to keep the herbalists hands from grabbing her ass again.

“Make the seals and secure the room. I’ll get him into bed.” Tobirama picked Takeda up and slumped him over on the bed, threw a thin blanket over him, then watched Sakura seal the room.

Sakura moved around the room checking the windows and the bathroom. With one hand she made the seals of protection and with the other the seals for silence so Takeda would sleep peacefully until the morning.

“Madara taught you to make hand signs with one hand...and you can do different signs on each hand, simultaneously?” Tobirama was impressed.

“I came from a world without chakra Tobi Kun. There was no one to compare my skills to but Madara. Only after arriving here do I understand how skilled he really is.” She said simply, without arrogance.

“You made a silencing seal, we will need to be able to hear if anyone breaks into his room.” Tobirama started to cancel the seal but Sakura placed her hand over his.

“It is a one sided seal, we can hear everything that goes on in his room, but nothing from the outside will wake him.” She let go of his hands.

“I was not aware there was such a seal.” He had been working on one but he hadn’t perfected it yet.

“Uh.” She laughed a little. “I learned it from you, well not you personally but your notes.”

“My notes?” He asked her suspiciously.

“In the future. I can’t tell you anymore, don’t ask. It is dangerous to learn too much about your future.” Sakura warned him, she saw the questions forming in his head behind his eyes. Madara had warned her, she shouldn;t have told him anything at all. Another lesson learned, don’t start something if you can’t finish it.

As promised there were two beds. Sakura took her boots off and set them under the chair by the window before falling face first onto the bed by the far wall. “This one’s mine.” She said into the blankets.

“You didn’t seem fatigued.” In fact, she seemed like she could have continued walking for days on end without a break. He had been impressed.

“I hide it well.” She giggled into the blanket before rolling over onto her back. “Why did you get an extra bed, it had to have cost more?”

“You kept kicking me in your sleep.” Tobirama’s ears turned pink. “I’m going to use the bathroom.”

Sakura watched him walk across the room and shut the bathroom door behind him. Shrugging she turned to her pack and pulled her sleeping clothes from her pack. After filling the water basin by the dresser with water she washed her face and arms, changed into her sleeping clothes and was brushing her hair when Tobirama emerged from the bathroom water dripping from his chin.

He paused as he looked around their room. “I was going to read before going to sleep, will the light bother you?” He asked politely, surprising her again.

“Not at all, thank you for asking Tobirama.” Sakura put her brush down by her pack and crawled into her bed.

“You may continue to call me Tobi, if you like.” Tobirama’s ears turned pink and he busied himself by pulling a scroll from his pack and settling into his own bed.

“Thank you Tobi.” Sakura smiled. He was getting used to her. “Thank you for letting me take this mission with you, Tobi.”

Tobirama looked up from his scroll. Sakura was looking at him with those damned green eyes of hers, sitting on her bed with her long pink hair floating around her face and shoulders. Flashes of a scantily clad pink haired and green eyes fairy nymph flashed through his brain making him swallow. “It is a good first mission for you.”

Sakura nodded, completely unaware of the man’s derailed thoughts. “That’s what Madara said.”

“What is your relationship with Madara?” He paused. “I mean.” He cleared his throat. “You may not be aware but it is thought to be highly inappropriate for a student to live in the same house as their sensei.”

“It is?” Sakura hadn’t known that. Madara had told her she would be staying in his home, she hadn’t thought much about it. “I guess I understand what you mean. He has been with me for so long as a ghost I guess I didn’t think anything of it. I could only really see him clearly in the last six years or so and then he didn’t have a physical body until about three years ago, so it never occurred to me to think of him as...a man.” She rambled.

“It’s hard not to now though.” She tapped her fingers on her knee. Tobirama’s comment did explain the looks the maid’s gave her and the way some of the villagers treated her. “Madara, he knows though, even if I didn’t, surely he must know that…”

She didn’t understand, it was clear, but Tobirama did. Madara was taking advantage of the woman, it made him sick. He knew his brother was too soft. He knew that the Uchiha couldn’t be trusted.

“You are not to blame Sakura.” Tobirama saw the embarrassment in her eyes, in the flush of her cheeks. “Madara put you in a very compromising position.”

“He said I was an Uchiha though, maybe that’s why? He considers me family.” She looked up at him to see what he thought of that explanation.

“Then he ought to have given you your own house in the compound.” Tobirama crushed her hope that Madara had just been misunderstood.

So, she didn’t have a romantic relationship with Madara. He didn’t know why that news made him happy, but it did.

“Sakura, how old are you?” He asked her without thinking. “I will need to know, for your shinobi file.” He added quickly, embarrassed by his own forwardness. He had always been socially awkward being too gruff, saying the wrong things.

“Oh, I’m twenty.” She said laying back onto her pillows and pulling the covers up around her.

“Twenty!” Tobirama almost didn’t believe her. “You look no more than sixteen!”

Sakura bristled a bit. She knew she looked young for her age but sixteen? “I am twenty, I just had a birthday thank you very much.”

Conversation dropped after that, leaving Tobirama to read and Sakura to stew in her own thoughts. She supposed she knew that it was more than a little inappropriate for her to be living in Madara’s house, in what should be his wife’s quarters. She groaned out loud and pulled her pillow over her head. She had been so distracted by being here that she hadn’t thought past the convenience of having him close to her, like she was used to having him.

After he had started training her he had always been around her. She would see him when she woke up and before she went to bed. As she got older and her parents started leaving her home alone more and going away on business trips he stayed with her in her home, as a ghost, but his presence had always been there, it had seemed natural then, later when he had gotten his physical body back he continued to stay with her when her parents were away. 

When her parents were home she would camp out with him in his valley, it was just...assumed she supposed that when they came here together, that they would live together. She hadn’t given any thought about how it might not be appropriate because that’s how it had always been. She peeked out from under her pillow at Tobirama. Did he think she was...a bad person now? Should she explain the situation to him? Why did she feel like she needed to explain anything to him? She pulled the pillow back over her eyes and groaned again.

He could hear her of course, but continued to read and ignored her groaning. He had already embarrassed her enough, he didn’t want to embarrass her further, or himself. Clearly she hadn’t understood how inappropriate her living situation was and he began to wonder what their living arrangement had been before they had come back to Madara’s time. It wasn’t any of his business though, he had already done enough damage.


	14. Chapter 14

Madara drummed his fingers against the wood of his desk as he read the most recent complaint from the Hyuga. Their submission for the land complaint had been dismissed once the original blueprints had been shown to them and a third party had stepped in throwing their complaint back in their faces. It had been like this since the founding of Konoha. The Hyuga with their Byakugan and the Uchiha with their sharingan, were always arguing.

With Sakura gone on her mission he had thrown himself into his work. There was plenty of it. His work at the Hokage Tower kept him busy most of the day, then his work as clan head kept him busy most of the evening and well into the night. The clan elders were pressing him for an heir again. With Izuna gone, they claimed it was the most important issue and needed to be addressed above all others.

Except it wasn’t that easy. Who was he supposed to marry and when was he supposed to find time to woo a woman, much less produce an heir. Sakura had been mentioned over and over. Some of the elders pressed for her removal from his house, others pressed for them to marry and produce an heir. It hadn’t mattered how many times he had told them there was no romantic relationship between himself and the woman, that she was his student and nothing more, they didn’t listen.

The fault was his, he knew it was. He shouldn’t have brought her into his home and given her Izuna’s rooms. It made it look like she was his wife or his consort at the very least. He had ruined her reputation...but he hadn’t known what else to do. She had never lived in these times before, he had to keep her close, for her own protection.

If he were being honest with himself...he knew that wasn’t the complete truth. 

She had only been gone for three days, and he missed her...more than he knew was appropriate for a sensei to miss their student. What he didn’t know, was exactly what that meant. Madara picked up the next complaint and began to read, stopping a few minutes later to stand and look out his window. He wondered if they had made it to Benisu Island yet.

“Finally!” Takeda dropped his bag on the sand and stretched his arms above his head.

Sakura rolled her eyes. “We were only on the ship for three hours Takeda San, come on, we have to make it to our camp before nightfall.”

Tobirama snorted at her exasperated expression. He had thought he would have been the one fed up with the complaining client before Sakura, but it seemed he had been wrong.

Sakura tapped her foot on the sand glaring at the brown haired man. “You want to eat tonight right?”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” He groaned, picked up his bag and gave her a sheepish smile.

“It’s only an hour walk to the campsite on the map, if we go at a regular pace, we will have plenty of time to forage for dinner.” Sakura said once Takeda had moved in front of her to walk behind Tobirama.

“Can’t we just eat more of your noodle cups?” Takeda turned around to ask her.

“I have a limited supply, we only ate those to save time on our journey here. Now that we’re here, there’s no hurry Takeda San.” Sakura rolled her eyes.

Takeda turned back around but not before Sakura heard him huff at her. She continued to walk behind him, grumbling under her breath.

“It’s just over this rise.” Tobirama called back to them over his shoulder after what should have been an hour walk...but had taken them two because Takeda had to rest, then go to the bathroom...and have a snack…

The cave was a pleasant surprise. Sakura had expected something small and more compact like the caves that had surrounded Konoha of her time but this cave was vast, it felt like you were walking through the doorway to a much larger world where everything was five times the normal size.

Granite walls rose up around them to an almost unimaginable height. Thick tapering stalactites fell from the ceiling like glistening stone chandeliers, it was beautiful.

“Incredible.” Sakura set her pack down on one of the many natural shelves that lined the cave walls and floor, looking around.

“First time here?” Takeda smiled at Sakura, his fatigue seemingly vanished.

“Yes.” Sakura nodded and continued to take in the majesty before her, around her...she smiled at Tobirama. “You didn’t tell me how indescribably beautiful it was going to be, why didn’t you tell me?

Tobirama shrugged. “It is, as you said, indescribable…”

Sakura snorted but smiled at the man, his personality was growing on her.

“I’ll go get us some dinner shall I?” She winked at Tobirama who gave her a blank look which made her laugh. Not bothering to wait for him to answer she walked out of the cave and over the hill to the river they passed on their way to the cave.

The river was just as beautiful as the cave, clear and sparkling, cool to the touch and crisp on the tongue, she wiped her chin after taking several large gulps. With a practiced hand she pulled three kunai from her pouch, tied wire to each end, and waited.

Plunk. Plunk. Plunk.

Sakura pulled her wire back and pulled three fish from each kunai, wiped the kunai in the grass and waited again.

Plunk. Plunk. Plunk.

Three more fish joined their fellows. With a satisfied smirk she untied the wire from her kunai, putting her things back in her pouch, and hooked three fish with her fingers in each hand.

Tobirama had a good fire going when she returned with their fish, as she had expected him to. Sakura quickly cleaned and gutted their fish, throwing the discarded flesh and organs to the flames while Tobirama skewered them on sticks, setting them to roast at the edges of the fire.

“I was just going over the schedule with Takeda San. We will move around the island in a circular pattern, starting here.” Tobirama pointed to a marked red dot to the left of their camp. “Then move around to here and here, so that we will end here.” Tobirama pointed to a landing close to where the ship had dropped them off at.

“A good plan.” Sakura agreed.

As far as missions went, this was an easy one. Sakura found the island to be quite pleasant and enjoyed walking from one spot to another with Takeda. She found him to be extremely knowledgeable about herbs and their uses as well as poisons and their antidotes.

She had read the journals of the greats in her time, but to see and hear, touch and taste the herbs from a herbalist here, now...was fascinating to her. Takeda found her to be not only interested in his profession but to ask intelligent questions, make intriguing hypotheses of her own and provide him with a much appreciated entertainment, while doing a commonly mundane task.

Sakura found that she readily recognized many of the plants from Lady Tsunade’s journals and more than a few of the more poisonous ones from the infamous Sasori of the Red Sand’s criminal file from Suna. Briefly, she wondered if Suna had been formed yet, she had always wanted to go there once Madara had told her he wished for her to return to his time with him.

Madara...she had tried to push the man from her mind for this mission. It had been easy for the first day or two, being distracted by Tobirama, her surroundings and of course Takeda San. Now, however, on her hands and knees with her fingers in the dirt lifting roots of orris to be cut and dried...her mind began to wander.

Everything she had told Tobirama had been true. She hadn’t given her living situation much thought, but now that she did she wasn’t sure it was the best living situation for her. She didn’t want to hide in Madara’s shadow and the more she learned about this new world of hers, the more she realized how large his shadow was.

Sakura had given up a lot to please Madara. She didn’t have any real friends back home, no boyfriend nor family. With her parents gone all the time and Madara a ghost for most of her life...it had been terribly lonely. She enjoyed speaking with Tobirama, now that they were getting to know one another better. Even Takeda San wasn’t so bad, now that he had stopped hitting on her.

That’s when she realized...she wanted real friends. This was a new life. She had come to find a better life, a life with chakra, the life of a shinobi...that’s what she wanted. Was being with Madara, staying in his home, was that going to hold her back? She didn’t know for sure, but it was something to think about. Sakura was grateful for everything Madara had taught her, but she had done her part, she had repaid any debt she might have had with him by breaking the seals for him, by making it possible for him to return to his own time, to start anew.

She rose to her feet and dusted her hands on her pants. “It’s getting late Takeda San, let’s head back to camp. I can feel Tobi, he’s already there.”

On the fifth day of their stay on the island Takeda took a wrong step and twisted his ankle. Without thinking, Sakura bent down and healed his injury so that they could continue collecting the herbs he needed.

“Sakura Chan, that was...unbelievable, I didn’t know that was even possible, tell me, how did you do that, so quickly?” Takeda looked up at her in wonder.

“I can use my chakra to heal, just as I can use it to hurt Takeda San.” Sakura tried to brush it off, his admiration was embarrassing.

“No, that is something different, it is something special.” He wasn’t flirting with her, he was being very sincere, it startled her for a moment.

“Is it really so odd?” She knew that Lady Tsunade had been world renowned but she had read texts about others using their chakra to heal before her. She hadn’t realized how rare it was, or perhaps how skilled she was at it.

“There are those who use their chakra for healing Sakura Chan, I have seen it many times, but it is nothing like your healing abilities. Can you...heal other wounds as well? Can you heal cuts or perhaps stab wounds?” He asked her, eyes wide with wonder.

“Uh, yes.” Sakura didn’t wish to elaborate.

Takeda remained quiet for the rest of the day but when they returned to camp that evening he told Tobirama what had happened and how Sakura had healed him so quickly.

“She does that.” Tobirama looked at the man placidly.

“Are you not amazed?” Takeda demanded, seemingly upset at how bored the Senju appeared after hearing what he thought was incredible news.

“I’ll be more amazed when she can heal an entire team in the face of an enemy.” Tobirama raised his brow at Sakura.

“I don’t see why I couldn’t.” She replied thoughtfully. “I’ll have to try it some time.”

Tobirama nodded with a look on his face Sakura couldn’t quite place. She had begun to see a pattern to Tobirama’s moods the more time she spent with him, the more sure she was of her observation. 

He tended to think deeply on things he wasn’t familiar with, concentrating and focusing on finding an answer to the point of obsession. Nothing could sway him from his thought process to the point of hostility, hence, his gruff demeanor.

She also noticed, like most men, he didn’t enjoy appearing the fool, and even less to a clever woman. Tobirama however, was different from other men, because he didn’t feel threatened by her clever and quick intellect. Like Madara, he seemed to respect her for it, admire her for it, but hated to show her openly how much he admired her or respected her.

It was a slow meticulous dance with the white haired Senju, a dance Sakura more than welcomed. Not only was the man a challenge, he was interesting. Madara was a genius, a prodigy in his own way, but she was quickly discovering that Tobirama, was more than the genius she had thought he had been while reading his archived works and notes. He cared...much more than he wished for people to know...about others around him.

What she thought had been arrogance, was a defense mechanism. What appeared to be hostility, was curiosity, and what most people thought was insensitivity, was a true desire to protect, to educate so that the opposing person would learn from their mistakes. In short, he was not at all what he appeared to be.

A bowl was nudged against her knee drawing her from her quiet contemplation. Sakura looked up, slightly startled to find the subject of her scrutiny looking her in the eyes, a twitching of his lips upon his face and a bowl of stew against her leg.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I was just uh.” Sakura blushed.

“Deep inside your own head?” Tobirama smiled another rare smile at her, that she realized, like so many other things about him, were becoming less and less rare around her.

“Yes.” Sakura smiled back at him.

A loud cough had both of their eyes snapping from one another to the brown haired, brown eyed and very amused client of theirs. 

“If you’re done flirting with one another, I would like to go over tomorrow’s schedule?” Takeda coughed loudly and pointedly again into his fist.

Sakura’s cheeks flamed with heat and Tobirama turned an ice cold glare to Takeda who merely smiled, looking back and forth between Sakura and Tobirama expectantly. “Whenever you’re ready shinobi san.” Takeda hummed with good humour.

By the end of their ninth day on Benisu Island, Takeda had all the stores he needed, and spent the last few hours before the ship arrived to take them back to dock, teaching Sakura how to dry and preserve all of the herbs they had collected on their trip. Sakura was grateful and pleased he wished to take the time to teach her such things but he waved her thanks away with a gracious hand.

“It is the least I can do for giving you such a hard time in the beginning of our trip together. You healed my ankle when you didn’t have to. Defending me was your mission and while one may argue you were defending me against my own clumsiness, I do not. I’ve had a delightful trip, I hope you do not think it too forward of me, but I would like to request you for my next trip as well.” Takeda patted Sakura’s hand fondly.

“Unfortunately, Takeda San, from now on it is very unlikely Sakura will be taking simple escort missions. She is a Jounin. This was a trial mission. She will be given much more dangerous missions from now on.” Tobirama didn’t smirk at the man, but he may as well have.

“I see, well, I will still make the request and if you are available, perhaps I will be fortunate.” Takeda smiled again, this time picking Sakura’s hand up and kissing it under Tobirama’s watchful eye.

Tobirama and Sakura waved to Takeda San, payment for their services in their pockets and the cut for the village tied to Tobirama’s belt. Turning from their former client and his new escort, Sakura sighed and stretched.

“Good riddance.” Tobirama muttered as he and Sakura turned back toward Konoha.

“Oh, he wasn’t that bad, and admit it Tobi, you had a good time, in the end. Didn’t you?” Sakura nudged him with her shoulder and smiled up at the red eyed man coyly.

“Perhaps.” Tobirama looked down into Sakura’s green eyes.

Sakura laughed. “Race you home!” 

Without looking back to see if he followed her Sakura leapt up onto the nearest rooftop running fast. With a small huff and a shake of her head she laughed out loud as Tobirama’s white head flashed one hundred yards ahead of her only to disappear again just as quickly.

“Cheater!” She yelled.

Loud masculine laughter floated back to her on the wind.

When they finally rejoined they weren’t too far from home. With only a half a day outside of Konoha they opted to continue on to their village instead of camping in the forest. Sakura admitted to Tobirama that it would be nice to sleep in a clean bed again and to eat food she didn’t have to catch herself. He hadn’t laughed but had graced her with another shy smile.

Madara was laying in his bed when he felt Sakura’s strong chakra signature just outside the gates of Konoha. She was a day early. Throwing his feet from his bed and dressing quickly he walked out the front door of his home to greet her at the compound gates and to find out how her first mission had gone. He was relieved...she was home, with him again at last.

“I like it when you smile Tobi, you should smile more often.” Sakura followed him from tree to tree and through the gates, their feet touching down just outside as he signed the guards to let them in.

“I will take that under consideration.” He told her quietly as they walked past the guards into the village.

“Good.” Sakura smiled. “I’ll see you in the morning for the mission report or does only one of us write it?”

“I will write it, as the captain. It is late, the gates to the Uchiha compound will be closed at this hour, allow me to walk you.” Tobirama offered.

Sakura nodded and they walked in silence for most of the way, stopping when they had reached the Uchiha compound gates. Looking up at the guards who were looking down at them, she waved. Only one of them waved back and started walking down the stairs to open the gates for her.

Tobirama pulled a Konoha headband from his pouch. “I wanted to give this to you. You earned it.”

“Tobi, thank you.” Sakura bit her bottom lip and smiled at the Senju.

“Allow me to...tie it on for you, for the first time?” Tobirama swallowed as Sakura turned her back to him so he could do as he requested.

With one hand he smoothed her silken pink locks down and moved them to the side and over her shoulder. Her hair was just as soft as he had imagined it to be. With steady hands he moved the cool metal band over her forehead, pulling the ties to the back of her head, under her hair. With gentle , light fingers he moved her hair up and over the ties, letting it fall through his hands, back down her back.

The smell of coconuts filled his nose and he closed his eyes, resting his palms over the curve of Sakura’s shoulders.

“Am I interrupting something?” Madara’s deep voice cut through the dark and red mangekyou sharingan eyes focused their wraith on the white haired Senju before him, whose hands were on the shoulders of...his Sakura.


	15. Chapter 15

“Madara.” Sakura turned her head to Madara who stood just inside the gates of the Uchiha compound, his red eyes glowing, fixed upon Tobirama.

“Welcome home Sakura., come, it’s late.” He held his hand out to her, wanting to draw her away from the Senju.

Sakura turned back around to face Tobirama to thank him again for her headband and to wish him a good night but stopped when she saw the hard look in his eyes, the tightening of his mouth and the stiffness in his stature. She looked from Tobirama to Madara with apprehension.

“Thank you Tobi. I look forward to discussing seals with you again. I learned a lot on this mission. Perhaps we could go over my sensory training when you have time?” Sakura tried to ease the obvious tension between the two men with casual talk.

“Umph.” Tobirama replied, which Sakura took as gruff consent to her suggestions. His red eyes never left those of Madara’s.

“Sakura.” Madara said her name with much more force this time...a command.

“Uh, well, goodnight.” Sakura took a step forward to shake Tobirama’s hand but Madara was behind her pulling her back before she could even extend her hand to the Senju.

“Madara?” Sakura didn’t understand, had she done something wrong? 

“It’s late, you need rest.” Madara pulled her back and started walking her past the gates to the compound without looking back at the Senju.

Sakura looked back over her shoulder to see Tobirama’s narrowed eyes at Madara’s back, his body wavering, then disappearing. Looking back up at Madara she saw the same lines of tension in his mouth that she had seen on Tobirama and sighed. She knew...Tobirama had been the one to seal Madara’s family shrine with the time transportation jutsu, she knew that Tobirama was the reason Madara no longer had Izuna in his life, but she had thought, like the other trials he had faced in his past that he could see beyond and reach past...the past to the future. Apparently not.

“Madara…” Sakura began but was silenced by a stern eye.

His eyes had faded back to coal but the stiffness hadn’t left his shoulders. His gait was sharp and quick as he ushered her through the door of the main house and down the hall to her rooms. Only once inside did he turn to face her, his lips thin and his eyes hard.

“Care to tell me why Tobirama was touching you with such inappropriate familiarity, Sakura?” Madara crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance.

“He was doing no such thing Madara, you misunderstand, he was merely tying my new headband on.” Sakura tapped her new Konoha headband proudly, her smile growing as her fingers traced the edges.

“His hands were on your shoulders.” Madara continued, though his eyes had softened at her smile and her evident happiness at her new headband.

“You place your hands on my shoulders.” She raised her eyebrow at him...what exactly was he insinuating?

“I am not Tobirama. I have known you since you were six years old, it is my right.” Madara said harshly, moving her back into her bedroom with his larger body.

Sakura stumbled and fell onto her bed in the corner of the room, looking up at Madara in confusion. He had never been forceful with her before, only stern, demanding in her training, exasperated at times, but never forceful as he was now. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Do not leave your rooms until I give you permission.” He turned on his heel and slid the door shut behind him with a crack.

Sakura sat on her bed and stared at the door of her bedroom. What the hell just happened? What did she do wrong to make him so angry. She had felt the slight pulses of his chakra, he had been controlling it. She realized then, just how angry he had been...at her, or was it Tobirama…

It had been a long run and she was tired. She knew from experience that it was best to save contemplation for the morning. With a sigh she rose from her bed to wash before sleep. Madara would speak to her once he had calmed down she was sure.

Madara walked with careful steps back down the hall to his rooms, shutting the door to his sitting room with less force than he had shut the door to Sakura’s bedroom. It wasn’t her fault, he knew this but knowing it did nothing to quell the growing angst in his heart at the vision of ‘that’ man’s hands on his student.

He had...overreacted...guilt washed over him momentarily as his head automatically turned to the butsudan that sat on the wall beside the window. Walking slowly he opened the doors of the butsudan and bowed his head.

“Izuna.” He lit the incense and spoke softly to his younger brother’s picture. “It seems time does not heal all wounds. The forgiveness I thought I had found in my heart appears to have been short lived with the stirring of a new flame.”

He hadn’t been able to save Izuna from Tobirama’s hatred, but he would be damned if he made the same mistake with Sakura. She was his responsibility, he had brought her here, had trained her, had helped to make her who she was. He would not allow the Senju to corrupt her, to...take advantage of her and use her against him. He realized now that was what Tobirama must be planning. 

Tobirama’s hatred for the Uchiha was no secret. Even after peace had been established the man had worked tooth and nail to stop Madara at every turn, sabotage every effort...he had been one of the many reasons Madara had left the village in the first place, the first time. There was no compromise when it came to Tobirama. There never had been.

Madara grit his teeth. That man had been the one to place that demonic seal on his shrine, had been the cause of his brother’s death and now, he was coming after his student...his...friend and…

“She is young, she doesn’t understand. It is not her fault.” Madara looked up at the picture of his brother. “It is a different time and although she is skilled in combat, she is not skilled with the ways of men, she...is innocent and...she is my responsibility.”

With his resolve restored, he squared his shoulders, bowed once more clapping his hands three times at a steady rhythm and closed the butsudan doors once more. He would speak to her in the morning. She was home, and she was safe, that’s what was most important he told himself. Safe. Home...and with him. He wouldn’t fail her, like he had failed Izuna, he would make sure of it this time. This time, he would protect what was his.

“Welcome home Sakura Sama.” Kiyomi smiled at her mistress, pleased that she had come home safely.

“Good morning Kiyomi.” Sakura rubbed her eyes as she sat up on her futon and looked around the room. A blissfully delicious aroma dragged her from the warm covers and to the sitting table facing the garden doors.

Kiyomi smiled as she knelt to open the doors for her lady. She had missed Sakura while she had been gone, but had used her time away to arrange her rooms properly, purchase the things a lady ought to have and make Sakura’s rooms more...livable, rather than serviceable.

Kiyomi poured Sakura’s tea for her, the steam rising in a light floral scent that made Sakura’s mouth water. “This looks delicious Kiyomi, thank you for your trouble, you spoil me.” Sakura smiled as she lifted the cover of the fish tray and licked her lips in anticipation.

“Cook was ordered to prepare your meals for you Sakura Sama, I did not cook this.” Kiyomi stifled a small laugh behind her hand, she was a terrible cook.

“Oh! Please thank the cook for me then.” Sakura lifted the rice bowl to her chest and plucked a piece of tender fish from her plate, closing her lips and her eyes as she savored the flavorful morsel with delight. “So good.”

Kiyomi bowed her head, her lady was kind, most Uchiha of high birth wouldn’t think of thanking the cook for doing their job, much less tell a maid thank you, but Sakura was different. “I purchased some combs for your hair and some creams for your face in your absence. I have another kimono waiting for you, one of plain cotton and decorated simply to fit your tastes.” 

“Hum?” Sakura looked up from her fish in inquiry.

“For dinners with Lord Madara.” Kiyomi missed the frown on Sakura’s face as she continued to speak of the other changes she had made with the purse Lord Madara had given her. “There are scented oils and perfumes in your bath closet and lotions by the basin for you Sakura Sama. I did not know your preferences so I purchased a little of each.”

“Kiyomi, you do too much, thank you.” Sakura smiled a bit tense at all this attention. “It is not necessary though.”

“Madara Sama asked me to get you things for your rooms, to make sure you had everything you needed.” To Kiyomi that meant nice things for her baths, perfumes to smell nice and lotions for her skin like all high born women of her time. Had she been mistaken.? She knew Sakura was not like most women, being a kunoichi, but even kunoichi were still women and would like to smell nice for their man...

“Thank you Kiyomi.” Sakura mumbled as she finished her meal. She could feel Madara’s presence in his rooms and wondered when he would come to speak with her. There were things she wished to do and didn’t want to wait around in her room all day for him.

“Kiyomi, could you please tell Madara I would like to speak with him?” Sakura decided to take matters into her own hands. Sleep had done wonders for her perspective. She thought she understood now, why he had been so angry, but he also needed to understand she wasn’t a child anymore and that this controlling nature of his, would not be well received.

“Tell Lord Madara, um...Lady Sakura, it is not um…” Kiyomi knew her mistress didn’t understand social protocol by now and was different, in fact, she had never met anyone like her mistress before but…

“What is it?” Sakura pushed her now empty bowl of rice away from her and looked up at her maid.

“Lord Madara is not accustomed to being summoned.” Kiyomi burst out in a rush, her words falling over one another.

“Oh.” Sakura tapped her chopsticks on the lip of her empty plate. “Then could you please tell him I will be in the gardens if he needs me?” Sakura amended her original request to fit social etiquette while inducing the same outcome. She was learning.

“It would be my pleasure Sakura Sama.” Kiyomi smiled, her lady was quick.

“There is no need to assist me anymore this morning Kiyomi, thank you for breakfast.” Sakura rose to her feet to get ready for the day. 

She wanted to go back to the Uchiha training grounds, she hadn’t trained since she had arrived and it was beginning to wear on her. Going from training almost exclusively before her arrival to almost nil had set her back. She could feel her blood slow and her mind dull. She needed to feel the rush of the wind, the power in her hands again.

“How was Sakura Chan’s first mission?” Hashirama took a large bite out of the sweetened rice cake he snatched from the large platter before him.

“Good.” Tobirama stirred a raw egg into his bowl of rice before reaching for the sesame seeds.

“No complications?” Hashirama pried at his brother for more details.

“None.” Tobirama took a bite of his rice and continued to read the scroll he had unfurled beside his bowl on the table.

“Did you give Sakura Chan her headband?” Hashirama asked.

“Of course. She earned it.” Tobirama didn’t even bother to look up at his brother.

Hashirama pouted next to him. He wanted more information but he knew he was unlikely to get it from his brother, the man was so closed lipped about everything, even when he didn’t have to be.

“Excellent. Let’s invite her and Madara over for dinner tonight to celebrate!” Hashirama grinned and clapped his hands together.

Tobirama stopped reading his scroll and tightened his grip on his chopsticks. “I’m not sure that is wise.”

“What do you mean?” Hashirama asked, not really paying attention. It was clear he had already moved on to something else in his head.

Tobirama sighed and put his scroll down. The topic was unavoidable. Now was as good a time as any and he would rather be the one to tell his brother, to control his reaction…”I tied Sakura’s headband on her, in congratulations mind you, but Madara may have taken my gesture of congratulations...wrong.”

“You tied her headband on her?” Hashirama asked, surprised at his brother’s gesture.

“Yes.” Tobirama picked his scroll back up and began reading again, ignoring the excited energy his brother was emitting.

“Why would you...oh! Tobi! You do like her! ...and she let you! She likes you Tobi! Oh but then, Madara was upset you say?” Hashirama’s wide grin faded a bit, but was quickly replaced by a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Madara was jealous! He likes Sakura Chan too!” Hashirama almost rolled with glee.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Tobirama scoffed at his brother’s antics, he had to put a stop to his brother’s line of thought before it spiraled out of control. 

“I do not ‘like’ the woman, as you say. I merely wished to reassure her that she was a welcome asset to the village, because she isn’t from our time. She proved to possess a rare intelligence. I respect her, don’t get ahead of yourself and say such foolish things Hashirama.” This was just like Hashirama to jump to conclusions and take things too far.

“It was a misunderstanding. I only tell you because it may make dinner with them a bit tense, considering the past.” Tobirama rolled and sealed the scroll he had been reading and tucked it into his pouch.

“...but then, Madara, he has affection for Sakura doesn’t he? If he got jealous?” Hashirama was disappointed. This would complicate things.

“You’ll have to ask him, but I will say, it is highly inappropriate for Sakura to be living in his house, so much more since I have had the opportunity to speak to her about it. She was completely oblivious to the nature of their living arrangements brother. He is taking advantage of her ignorance of the times for his own means.” Tobirama stood and walked to the door.

“What means are you assuming Tobi? It’s not like you to give so much thought into something that is not in your spectrum.” Hashirama observed his brother’s shoulders hunch, then straighten.

“Sakura is...unique. I would not see her tainted by the Uchiha’s affinity for hatred.” Tobirama closed the door behind him, leaving Hashirama to ponder his last words.

Like his brother, Hashirama had been surprised to learn Sakura was living with Madara in his home. It wasn’t any of their business of course, but Hashirama knew his friend. He knew there was a reason he wanted Sakura in his home, a reason he had brought her here with him. He wasn’t sure what that reason was exactly, but he could guess there was more than what Madara had claimed there to be.

Madara was not the kind of person to show his emotions openly, freely...and yet, this woman brought out a side of Madara that Hashirama hadn’t seen in years, a side of him he had only ever shown himself and Izuna. Hashirama couldn’t help but wonder if Madara even knew what the woman meant to him.

Four hundred years was a long time to think about your mistakes. Hashirama rose from the table and threw open the shutters along the west wall and looked out into the forest. A man who had lost everything and everyone he had loved might hold onto it more tightly if he found love again. Hashirama’s seal on Madara’s heart could only be broken by love, but what kind of love did his friend have for the woman...and did it even matter if he saw his little brother as a threat.

Perhaps it was the love a master has for his student or a father for a child, both just as dangerous and possibly just as possessive. Tobirama on the other hand, Hashirama smiled, was clearly interested in the woman. His smile dropped at the prospect of this new complication. He had just gotten his friend back, he didn’t want to lose him again.

Hashirama clapped his hands together. He would invite them to dinner as he had originally planned, under the pretense of celebrating Sakura Chan’s headband. He would see for himself, the dynamics of their relationship and his brother’s reactions to the woman. Intel reconnaissance! Hashirama laughed at himself. A good plan. With a lightness in his step, and with all the hopes he had for the future, he left the room to find his cook. There was a dinner to plan!

Sakura was in the garden doing her forms when Madara slid the door back to speak with her. He watched as she moved across the stone pathways her feet barely touching the ground as she slid from one fluid motion to the next. With a practiced eye he noticed the changes in the way she held her head, the way her eyes passed over him briefly, acknowledging his presence, without breaking her stride. She wasn’t a little girl anymore.

With a quick hand sign he threw up a silencing jutsu, he didn’t wish to be overheard when speaking to her about the events of the prior evening. With her he spoke his mind, and no one need be the wiser of such a...weakness.

“Sakura.” His voice was the same soft deep she recognized from her youth. He wasn’t speaking to her as Madara Uchiha, clan head of the Uchiha clan of Konoha, no, he was speaking to her as Madara, her mentor, teacher and friend. Her eyes softened as she sat down beside him on the back porch of his house.

“Good morning Madara.” She smiled a small smile at him, letting him know she had perceived the difference in his demeanor from the night before.

“I did not like Tobirama touching you.” He said flatly. His voice was calm, but measured. He was trying.

“Why?” A simple question, not easily answered.

What could he say, how could he tell her in a way that she would understand. He wasn’t sure if he even understood how he felt about the situation, much less how to explain it to her. Why indeed…

“You are not just a student to me Sakura.” He began.

Sakura’s heart began to race. She wasn’t?

“You are...important to me. You made it possible for me to return to...right my own wrongs. You know the man I became, the man I was before...Hashirama sealed me away. You read his journals and know the struggle and the pain I caused him, the village…” His voice didn’t crack, but she could see the pain in his eyes, eyes that refused to look at her.

“You don’t need to justify yourself to me.” Sakura laid her hand over his where it rested on his knee.

“I do.” He said quietly, placing his other hand over hers. “I don’t want to repeat my mistakes. I couldn’t protect my brother from that man. I will protect you from him or anyone else I see as a threat.”

“You see Tobi as a threat?” Sakura asked hesitantly. Of course he did...she should have handled this better, she shouldn’t have let Tobirama tie her headband on her last night. The mistake wasn’t Madara's, it was hers.

The pressure on her hand increased when she had called Tobirama, Tobi. Sakura watched Madara struggle with his thoughts.

“He is no threat Madara. I know your history with the man, but I am not a little girl anymore. I don’t need you to protect me. I need you to be my friend.” She tried to smile at him. “I am grateful to you, for everything you’ve done for me, but will you protect me for the rest of my life or will you let me be the shinobi you trained me to be?”

Madara didn’t like the words she was speaking. He didn’t like that she had called Tobi so familiarly, but he saw the wisdom in her words and hoped he had the strength to be the man she knew he was, the man she hoped he was. He sighed.

“Is there nothing more I can teach you?” He asked her ruefully, almost playfully.

Sakura smiled. He was trying. “I can’t think of anything right now, but if something comes to mind, I’ll let you know.”

...and just like that...the entire dynamic of their student teacher relationship had changed. Madara watched Sakura rise from the porch and resume her forms. He wasn’t sure if it was good or bad, but he felt...like he was starting to lose her, right when he thought he might...well, it didn’t matter. 

Madara rose from his seat and canceled the silencing jutsu. Apparently their conversation was over, only...he hadn’t ended it, she had and he wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that, how he felt about any of this...


	16. Chapter 16

Whatever Sakura had been expecting dinner with the brothers Senju to be, Madara was quite certain it wasn’t...this.

Sakura watched tray after tray come out of the adjacent room that must have led to the Senju kitchens. Meats, pastries, noodles, fish and other seafood were placed on the table...each dish more elaborate than the one before it.

Madara knew his friend was up to something, felt guilty about something, or was plotting something...he didn’t usually eat like this, special occasion or not. Hashirama was up to no good. Madara grimaced.

Madara and Sakura hadn’t spoken to one another very much since their talk that morning. She had stopped by the Hokage tower to tell him she would be training at the regular training grounds outside of the Uchiha compound, but that had been shortly after their conversation. 

He had returned to the compound just before dinner to change and found her already dressed in a simple cotton kimono for the occasion. Kiyomi had chosen well he thought. It was a cream kimono with a light green trim to match Sakura’s eyes, a darker green obi and cream laces for her hair.

Sakura sat on her legs beside him, her hands in her lap just how he had taught her to sit at formal dinners when she was a child.

Tobirama sat across from them, his greeting had been brief, curt and rough, in short, normal for him. He showed no signs of animosity or angst toward Madara but graced them with his usual stoic countenance and demeanor. To Sakura, he looked little and to Madara even less. Satisfied the younger Senju had understood his social status in Sakura’s life, Madara began to relax. Perhaps, and he would only admit this to himself, he may have misunderstood Tobirama’s actions.

“So Sakura, Tobi tells me he gave you your headband! Congratulations dear!” Hashirama beamed at Sakura. “It is so good to have such a well trained kunoichi join our ranks officially!”

Sakura smiled under Hashirama’s sincere happiness. “It is my pleasure to be here. The mission was very instructive and I appreciate being sent with your brother. I enjoyed getting to know the man behind the seals.”

Madara stiffened almost imperceptibly at her side. She admired the white haired bastard...

“Reading about someone’s accomplishments and then meeting them in person is quite different. I can’t wait to ask him all of the questions that I wanted to ask him while learning his seals and jutsu, but there is time for that. Some of them, he has yet to invent.” She laughed easily, smiling freely at Tobirama who merely nodded at her. 

Sakura frowned. He was acting differently towards her now since the night of their return to the village. Was it because of Madara? Sakura cocked her head at Tobirama who looked away, avoiding her eye.

Conversation throughout dinner was light. They toasted Sakura’s new shinobi status and discussed her future career within the village.

“I would like to see more of your healing skills Sakura Chan, perhaps you would accompany me to the hospital tomorrow?” Hashirama asked once their plates were gone and the sake had been brought out.

“I would like that Hashirama Sama.” Sakura said politely.

“Please Sakura, stop calling me sama, Hashirama is fine, or Hashi if you prefer. You call Tobi Kun, Tobi, I don’t mind if you call me Hashi.” Hashirama laughed loudly, nearly upsetting his sake cup.

“Oh um, well I suppose.” Sakura shot a quick glance at Madara who simply rolled his eyes at his friend.

“Good good, now then. Tell me about your mission! Tobi told me that it was a success and that’s it, I want details, what did you think about Takeda San and did you enjoy Benisu Island?” Hashirama asked her curiously.

“It was a beautiful island. I really liked the cave we stayed in. Takeda San was a good introduction to how...difficult and...expressive clients will be in the future.” Sakura smiled a little, remembering how Takeda had complained about almost everything.

“I’m just glad I shared a room with Tobi and not Takeda San.” Sakura’s smile faltered when she felt Madara’s chakra snap beside her.

“You shared a room with Tobirama?” Madara’s voice was low, too low.

“Yes.” Sakura looked at Madara warily. He didn’t know that?

Tobirama sighed internally and squared his shoulders ready for the evening to take a turn for the worse. He had expected and had been preparing himself for this all evening. Part of him was glad. He wanted this done and out in the open, for all of their sake.

“It is typical to share a room to lower costs on missions, you know that Madara.” Tobirama’s voice was deep and calm. He had absolutely no false hope of this not escalating into a face off but he would try, for Sakura’s sake to hold back most of his more blunt comments.

“She had a purse of her own, there was no need to spare expense.” Madara replied evenly.

“Sakura is a shinobi, I treated her like an equal.” Tobirama said evenly.

“Well that’s good then right? Right Madara? The purpose of this mission was to introduce Sakura Chan to what real missions are like right?” Hashirama looked from Sakura to Madara.

“Yes. It’s exactly what I wanted.” Sakura smiled at Madara.

“As long as you didn’t share a bed.” Madara compromised, narrowing his eyes at Tobirama.

“Not after the first night, but then again I woke up alone. Tobi said I kept kicking him in his sleep so he slept on the floor halfway through the night I think. Sorry about that again Tobi.” Sakura tried to joke about it to ease the tension but Madara’s eyes flashed and spun red.

Madara knew Sakura barely moved in her sleep, even as a child when it would have been more likely for her to move and thrash in her sleep, she was an immobile and calm sleeper. Someone was lying and it wasn’t Sakura.

“Really? How unusual for you.” Madara glared at Tobirama, whose ears had turned a pinkish red color.

“I like to sleep diagonally.” Hashirama interjected, then laughed out loud. This was bad...

Sakura watched Tobirama carefully. He still refused to look at her. She could swear she wasn’t paranoid, she could tell that his avoidance was intentional, and she didn’t care for it. She had thought they were friends now, that they had bonded in their last mission, that they had become closer. His avoidance stung a bit more than she liked.

Madara watched Sakura out of the corner of his eye. It was clear by the hurt expression in her eyes she had expected more warmth from the white haired Senju and it bothered him. Had they become that close on their two week mission? He knew why Tobirama had slept on the floor that first night with Sakura, he had done the same later, as she had grown. Madara knew exactly how inappropriate that sleeping arrangement had been.

“She needed to learn mission protocol. Soon she will be going out with a team, she needs to know what to expect. Currently she is only one of two kunoichi in the Leaf. Toka will not always be on her team. Sakura must learn to sleep with other men.” Tobirama deadpanned even though he too was against the idea of Sakura sharing a bed with another man.

“I am aware of how we run our missions, Tobirama, having established most of the protocol before you saw fit to take on the responsibility.” Madara reminded the Senju. “I do not however, like that she shared a bed with you.”

“Why is that, because I killed Izuna?” Tobirama matched Madara glare for glare.

“Enough.” Sakura slammed her palm down upon the wooden table, the surface cracking slightly under her dainty hand.

“Is the past that hard to let go, did you not make this village with peace in mind?” She scolded both Tobirama and Madara.

Tobirama glared at Sakura. “Am to blame for his animosity? I did not start this argument.”

“You enable it though.” Sakura shot back at him annoyed. Annoyed at this argument, annoyed that he refused to look at her in conversation to only glare at her now in argument.

“Sakura.” Madara began but was shushed by Sakura much to his annoyance and Hashirama’s amusement.

“No Madara, you said you wanted to come back to right your wrongs, yet you are going down that same road again now with him.” She pointed at Tobirama who continued to glare at her.

“I don’t want him taking liberties with my student.” Madara said evenly.

“He wasn’t. You said yourself it was protocol, he did nothing wrong.” Sakura raised a brow at Madara, had he forgotten their conversation that morning…

“If it is liberties we are speaking of, tell me Madara, why does your ‘student ‘ live in your house? In the rooms built for your wife?” Tobirama challenged Madara.

“That is none of your business!” Madara rose to his feet making Tobirama do the same.

“And how I run my missions is none of yours!” Tobirama countered hotly.

Sakura chewed her bottom lip. “Hashi, is it really that inappropriate for me to be living under Madara’s roof?” She asked the person she thought most likely to give her an honest answer.

Madara looked at his friend, a frown on his face. Tobirama smirked.

“Ah well, Sakura Chan, it’s hard to say. I mean, I am not sure what kind of relationship you have with Madara so I can’t really…” Hashirama trailed off looking from Madara to Sakura.

“I see. That tells me what I needed to know. Thank you Hashi.” Sakura stood up and looked Tobirama in the eyes.

“I want to be assigned more missions so that I might find dwellings of my own.” Sakura bowed respectfully to Tobirama, then Hashirama. “I will meet you at the hospital tomorrow morning Hashi, thank you for dinner.”

With a quick bow to Madara, Sakura left the room.

Madara looked after his student. So, she had decided for them. Something hurt in his chest but he dare not raise his hand to cover it in front of Hashirama and Tobirama.

“It’s for the best.” The arrogant, pompous voice of Tobirama pierced his ears.

“Madara, I…” Hashirama began but Madara raised his hand silencing his friend.

“There are no words that need to be spoken. It was her choice.” Madara nodded once to Hashirama and followed Sakura back to the Uchiha compound.

“Tobi, was that really necessary?” Hashirama scolded his brother.

“You heard Madara, she made the decision on her own.” Tobirama gave his brother a censored look of disgust. Hashirama was as much to blame as he was. It was his comment that had given her the answer she had sought. “Now she can be herself.”

Tobirama wouldn’t gloat, but he was pleased. He knew Sakura wouldn’t thrive under the controlled environment Madara had forced her into. This was for the best...and if it allowed him more freedom of her company...so be it.

“He underestimates her Hashirama.” Tobirama rose from his seat and left the room before his brother could say anything in response or in defense of his friend.

Sakura slid the door to her bedroom open and slipped quietly inside. With a small sigh she looked around the room. She hadn’t wanted to tell Madara that she wanted her own place like that. The dinner had been a disaster. Part of her was relieved however, it had needed to be said and hopefully he would understand. Part of her felt guilty, he had done so much for her, but how long...how long was she supposed to stay his student. It was time for her to be on her own, to step out of his shadow.

It was good, she told herself, that it had happened this way, so soon after their arrival. She was not oblivious of the chatter, the whispers and the glances. She understood gossip well. In her time, her seclusion had made her an easy target for gossip. People often made fun of what they didn’t understand and no one understood why Sakura trained day in and day out. Not even Ino.

She had chosen this life, even before Madara had brought her here, it was time she lived it.

Madara nodded to the guards as he passed through the gates of his compound. She wanted her freedom, he understood. In his attempt to keep her safe and to protect her he had stifled her. He knew. Knowing didn’t prevent the stabbing pain he felt in his heart. The weight that had settled over his chest during dinner increased with each step he took back to his house.

She was in her bedroom, he could feel her nervous chakra even from the middle of the compound. She had never been very good at hiding her chakra signature. He would suggest she work on that as well as her sensory abilities. Maybe this was good he tried to tell himself. He needed to focus on his clan. So much had happened, so much had fallen apart in his absence...and Sakura was a terrible distraction. This was good, he tried to tell himself again as he climbed the single step up to his front door.

Strong fingers moved the brush across the rice paper, one stroke at a time. With each exhale a line was drawn, with each uplift of the brush and each draw of the ink, he inhaled. Tobirama drew seal after seal, as each one was finished he placed it on the shelf to dry and moved onto the next one. Over and over he drew, his private meditation, a productive adaptation to the normal breathing exercises he taught at the academy.

His formulas rested in stacks on the top shelves, while the newly drawn ones papered the bottom shelves, waiting for the time they too would be bound and set among the others.

Sakura...he couldn’t get her face out of his head. Her eyes, her hair, her voice...they tormented him. Never before had a woman, any woman caught his eye, captivated his senses like she did and he wasn’t sure he liked it. She was...a liability.

Stroke after stroke he drew long into the night until there was no more room on his shelves for anymore. With a final intake and exhale he washed his calligraphy brush and set it on it’s stand to dry like the thousands of formulas behind him. With his mind finally calm he blew out the candle and went to bed.

Tobirama tossed in his sleep. His dreams were plagued by fairies with pink hair and green eyes, who sang to him with voices like warm honey. He woke before dawn, barely rested, agitated and irritated. Hashirama was showing her the hospital today. He would make sure his duties at the academy kept him busy. He had no desire to see her today, to be distracted by her today.

Madara had left the house before Sakura woke the next morning. It was just as well she told herself, she had no idea what she would say to him when she saw him again. ‘I’m sorry’, didn’t seem fair to her. She didn’t feel she had anything to be sorry for. Nor did ‘I forgive you’, he didn’t have anything to be sorry for anymore than she did.

As promised she met Hashirama outside of the hospital shortly after eight am. This would be the first time she had spent any time alone with the Hokage and she was really looking forward to it. She had read countless volumes written about his greatness and wondered if he really was the man they said he was. Warranted their first meeting had been...less than regal and their other two clouded with drama. She had high hopes that this time she would get to see the famed shinobi for who he really was, the leader, the man, the god of shinobi.

“Good morning Sakura Chan!” Hashirama waved at her, his warm signature smile on his face as he walked up the hospital steps to greet her. “Shall we go inside?”

“That would be great, thank you for showing me the hospital Hashi.” She addressed him as he had asked her, feeling only a little self conscious as two nurses that were walking past them whipped their heads around to stare at her in shock.

Hashirama laughed. “It is my great pleasure!”

Once inside the hospital Sakura noted even more differences than she had when she had been outside waiting for the Hokage. It was smaller of course but the internal structure was the same. She realized that over time the building‘s core hadn’t been changed but only added to. It was rather amusing to see the same small welcome desk that was there in her own time.

It too was changed but was similar. Instead of a white it was a dark wood, and instead of a glass counter top covering the original grain, it was simply grained wood, and beautiful. Sakura found she much preferred the way it looked now to her modern times.

“Good morning Hokage Sama.” A tall woman behind the counter greeted the Hokage.

“Good morning Inaa San. This is Sakura, she is a new kunoichi and a medic of superb skill, tell me, is there anyone ailing at the moment that she may see?” Hashirama smiled at the woman who looked at Sakura in surprise.

“Uh well, yes Hokage Sama, there are several, a team just returned, I believe they are in room eight.” Inaa waved a hand down the hall to their right.

“Thank you Inaa San.” Hashirama laid his hand on Sakura’s shoulder and steered her to the right and down the hall Inaa had indicated, stopping at the room with a small eight plated to the door.

“Good morning Hokage Sama.” Three voices said pleasantly, if not a bit strained from their injuries as the Hokage entered the room, followed closely by Sakura.

“Good morning, good morning Hashirama smiled at the shinobi in three separate beds, two against one wall and one in the middle of the opposite wall leaving room to walk in between. “This is Sakura, she is a medic nin and a new kunoichi. I brought her to see if there is anything she can do to help with your injuries.”

The three men looked at Sakura with surprise. Sakura stepped up to the first man that continued to blink at her, then blushed as she smiled at him. He was young, more than a few years younger than herself. “Hello, what is your name? Sakura asked him politely, a bit nervous. She had never healed anyone but herself and Takeda San, Tobi, if the small scratch she had given him counted…

“Uh my name is Yoshi...it’s nice to meet your um, Sakura San.” Yoshi blushed even deeper as Sakura continued to smile at him.

“It is nice to meet you Yoshi. I am going to scan your body with my chakra. It shouldn’t hurt, but if it does, let me know and I will stop okay?” She spoke gently sensing his apprehension.

Yoshi’s eyes darted in between Sakura and the Hokage who was still smiling at the man. Yoshi licked his lips nervously, “Uh okay then.”

Hashirama moved closer to observe Sakura as she worked. He had been utterly fascinated when she had healed the minor cut she had inflicted on his brother and had been wanting to see it again ever since. 

Sakura pushed her chakra into her hands and moved them slowly over Yoshi’s body scanning his head, chest and arms. She wished to be thorough, the Hokage was watching. She wished to be gentle, Yoshi clearly had a broken leg. Moving slowly down his chest to his abdomen she felt a small pocket of infection and frowned. This was not from his current injuries.

“Yoshi San, before I continue, can you tell me what injuries you suffered prior to this past mission? You have a pocket of infection here.” Sakura pressed two fingers gently to the left of his belly button, making the man curl up and wince in pain under her touch.

“It is nothing Sakura San, a small injury while fixing my father’s fence. It pains me a bit, but it has healed.” Yoshi insisted.

“It hasn't, it is infected internally. Did you disinfect the wound before dressing it?” Sakura inquired.

“Disinfected?” Yoshi looked at her with a bit of confusion.

“You know, sterilized the wound, washed the dirt and germs from it, before sealing it to heal?” She cocked her head to the side, did he not understand what she meant?

“Uh, no I don’t think so, you mean wash it with water?” Yoshi furrowed his brow.

Sakura looked at Hashirama who had taken up the other side of Yoshi's bed. “Do your nurses and doctors not clean the wounds of the inflicted before healing them?”

“Well, when they are able of course we do. We have found that cleaned wounds heal much faster, but of course some wounds cannot be cleaned can they?” Hashirama looked down at Yoshi’s abdomen where Sakura had pressed her fingers into his flesh. There were the remnants of a jagged slash, but the wound was closed, it was healed and on the mend, he didn’t understand what she meant.

“His wound is festering, he is still wounded, the skin might be healed but internally he is suffering and doesn’t even know it.” Sakura turned back to Yoshi.

“Your broken leg, tell me Yoshi, how did you break it?” Sakura raised an eyebrow at the man when he flushed.

“We were ambushed. We didn’t see them until they were already on us. I jumped, caught the branch of the next tree in the gut and...my old wound flared up, I fell and broke my leg. The enemy nin dropped with me, but I cut his throat, he thought I had lost my wind, but I was faking, it was my only option. I knew my leg was broken.” Yoshi looked at his Hokage in embarrassment.

“If you had received proper medical care, you would not have this broken leg.” Sakura tapped the knee of the injured leg, her eyes meeting Hashirama’s.

“Can you heal him?” Hashirama asked her, his eyes inquisitive and speculative.

Sakura smiled. “Of course I can Hashi.” She hadn’t studied hundreds of thousands of scrolls for the last six years for nothing.

Yoshi gasped at the familiarity with which Sakura had addressed the Hokage. She must be a relation to address him so casually, Yoshi thought. It made sense if she was such a good healer...the Senju were known to be good healers, but hadn’t the Hokage said she was new? Yoshi had very little time to contemplate the how or why of the situation as Sakura pressed another glowing green hand to his chest.

“This won’t hurt, but it will take time. Please lay back and relax. You may watch if you wish, but I ask that you do not move. Okay Yoshi San?” Sakura smiled at the man again, making him flush.

“Yes um, Sakura San, thank you.” Yoshi leaned back, his eyes almost cross eyed as he tried to watch what she was doing over his chest.

“Okay, here goes nothing.” Sakura pressed chakra infused hands to Yoshi’s abdomen and focused on the pocket of putrefaction as instructed in Lady Tsunade’s journals and medical references. 

She found the infected cells almost immediately and began the painstaking process of breaking them down at a cellular level, removing the now dead bacterial cells and replacing them with healthy new white blood cells, red blood cells and tissue. It would have been easier for her to cut him open with a chakra scalpel and drain the wound saving her both time and chakra but she didn’t know how Hashirama would react to such ruthlessness.

For a half hour she stood over Yoshi, her eyes closed and her hands pressed to his abdomen before the chakra in her hands faded and she opened her eyes.

“Amazing.” Yoshi whispered.

Sakura smiled at him.

“How do you feel, Yoshi San?” Hashirama asked the man anxiously.

“I feel.” Yahoo ran his hand through his hair and licked his lips. “Better than I knew I could. I didn’t realize how draining it was, that I was even ill.” His eyes were wide.

“Thank you Sakura San.” Yoshi’s face was flushed, a grateful smile on his face. “That was amazing, where did you learn to heal like that?”

Sakura blushed at the compliment. “I place very far from here, now, let’s heal that broken leg of yours shall we?”

Hashirama smiled at the pink haired woman across the bed from him...yes, this is just what Konoha needed. She was just what he needed to make their village great. Madara had been right. She would help them all.


	17. Chapter 17

Hashirama watched as Sakura healed not only Yoshi’s broken leg, but Tetsu’s broken arm and Rankute’s many gashes and gouges along his face and arms. She worked for hours, moving from one bed to the next without complaint, without pause. Hashirama was impressed, as were the shinobi she healed.

He was fortunate. The team that had been injured were younger than the other teams and more receptive to Sakura’s presence. He knew that not all of his rank and file would be pleased to have a female join the shinobi rooster, no matter how skilled. Kunoichi, was a fairly new concept, and not an altogether favorable one among the older clans.

There were several reasons he had wanted Sakura to come to the hospital with him today. The most obvious being to heal and for him to witness the extent of her healing talent first hand, but also to introduce her to the shinobi at their most vulnerable. The more shinobi she healed, the more likely they would accept her into their ranks and her position as a fully qualified team member. Or at the very least give her the opportunity to prove her combat skills.

The ones she healed here today could stand witness against the others who may speak out against her.

Madara’s name would get her far, but it would also hinder her depending on who was assigned to her missions with her. Not everyone in Konoha accepted the Uchiha clan, or thought of them in a favorable light. Some, like the Hyuga still viewed the Uchiha with great suspicion, like his brother. It was unfortunate but Sakura would have to work twice as hard as the other male shinobi, and will have to bring twice as much to the table to offer for them to accept her.

Hashirama may play the laughing fool but he wasn’t. She had earned his brother’s respect, a difficult thing to do, and had been trained by his best friend...his only equal. She would be fine and he would make sure she got every opportunity, but he wasn’t ignorant of the trials she would need to overcome because of something that wasn’t her fault, because of her gender.

Hashirama watched Sakura as she spoke to the men. She handled herself well. She wasn’t shy and she was confident in her abilities. She looked the men in the eye when she spoke and did not look away when they addressed her. She wasn’t afraid of men, like some women of this time. 

With a small final bow and words of advice on sanitation and cleanliness Hashirama and Sakura left the room. As soon as they were out in the hallway again Hashirama turned to Sakura and beamed at her, his smile as bright as the sun, his brown eyes dancing with joy.

“You have been a godsend, this is wonderful. Would you mind looking at some other patients while you are here?” He asked her hesitantly.

“Oh, well, yes I can do that.” Sakura bit her bottom lip hesitantly. “I don’t have a lot of experience healing others, just so you know Hashi. This is the most healing I have done.”

Sakura didn’t want him to over value or overestimate her skills.

“Of course, of course Sakura Chan. Whatever you are able to do is a great help. Those shinobi would have taken months to heal, some might have returned to missions before their injuries were done healing and injured themselves further or possibly cripple themselves so that they were unable to return to active duty at all.” Hashirama rubbed the back of his head thinking hard.

He knew she wanted to go on missions, and she should, she needed the experience. He couldn’t help but think she might better serve the village by staying in the village though and healing their injured and sick. What would Madara say…

Madara sat at his desk in the Hokage tower going over the last correspondence with a new clan that wished to join the village. The Inuzuka were proficient warriors because of their bonded relationships with their dogs and would be a great asset to the Leaf. There were a few contingencies the Inuzuka wished to go over before they would officially join Konoha though.

They needed a large compound, one that was much larger than most for their ninja hound companions and their breeding kennels. The issue with this requirement was that each clan was given a certain amount of land based on their population. The Inuzuka’s clan members were of a decent size but not enough to fill the required land allotment they were requesting.

Both he and Hashirama wanted them to join their village, it would strengthen their fighting power and the number of shinobi by a quarter. The Inuzuka however would not compromise on the land allotment insisting that every acre they had requested was essential to their needs.

Madara would be more than happy to grant their request but it was sure to cause tension between himself and the other clans that had already joined their village, namely the Hyuga and the Shimura clans. There had to be a way though. If the Inuzuka joined the village, Madara was certain that the Aburame would follow. He wanted them both. 

He needed to speak with Sakura. She had read through the history of Konoha many times for pleasure reading and then for security reasons when she had decided to return to this time with him. She would know how the Inuzuka and the Aburame had both finally compromised and joined their village. He could feel her chakra in the hospital. He would visit her, see how her morning with Hashirama was going and ask her about the Inuzuka and the Aburame clans.

“It’s nothing really.” Sakura smiled kindly at the parents of the little boy who had come in for a simple fever she had just taken care of. With a soft pat to the head of Sakura and a piece of hard candy in his mouth he jumped down from the examination bed.

Hashirama smiled at the small family as they left the examination room, only to smile even wider as Madara’s shadow darkened the examination room doors.

“Madara, what brings you to the hospital, are you ill?” Hashirama teased.

“Not at all. I came to see how Sakura was doing and to ask her a question about the Inuzuka.” Madara’s eyes passed over Sakura who stood beside his friend.

“You look a bit tired, did you not sleep well last night?” Madara frowned.

“I’m a little tired, but it’s because I’ve been healing and it is a bit more draining on me than I am used to. I’ve never healed so many people at once before. I’m okay Madara, don’t worry.” Sakura smiled at him, pleased he didn’t seem angry or upset with her. 

She had ended their conversation abruptly, the tension was still present but not nearly as suffocating as it had been last evening. She hoped over time it would dissipate into a more acceptable form of respect and understanding. She could see the lines of worry around his eyes and the tenderness in his gaze as he looked at her. Sakura shifted her feet under the weight of those eyes. He was still someone very special to her, even if she wanted a bit more freedom from him.

“You wished to speak with Sakura about the Inuzuka?” Hashirama asked curiously.

“She has read all of the old archives. I need to know what made them join the village to ensure history repeats itself.” Madara answered, his eyes never leaving Sakura. “Did you still need her here or do you mind if I borrow her for a bit.” Madara tried to smile.

Hashirama watched his old friend, his eyes going soft filling with empathy. It had been a long time since he had seen Madara this...distraught over something so, normal. The man was clearly in love with the woman, any fool could see that if they cared to look and Hashirama was looking. Did Madara see it himself though, and what of Tobirama…

“Of course, please Sakura take a break, assist Madara if you will. Come find me when you’re done, there are a few things I need to take care of myself. I’ll be in the tower if you need me.” Hashirama smiled at the awkward pair and left the room with a slight bow.

Silence fell between Sakura and Madara after Hashirama’s departure. Madara moved first, extending his hand to her, giving her the choice to take it or not. With a smile she slipped her hand into his and didn’t pull back as he pulled it through the crook of his arm and led her out of the hospital, up the steps of the Hokage’s Tower and into his office.

“The Inuzuka joined after an adjustment was made to the former land allotment policy for the clans.” Sakura told him after she had sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. “...and the Aburame clan followed them after seeing how accommodating the village was to the Inuzuka’s partner requirements.”

Madara nodded. “Do you know what kind of adjustments were made though?” He knew something had to have changed to allow them the space they required because he knew they wouldn’t join uless the land requested had been granted to them.

“It didn’t say but if the Inuzuka use their hounds in battle and consider them full members of their clan, why shouldn’t Konoha consider them members as well?” Sakura said logically.

Madara smiled. “I shouldn’t be surprised anymore but you never cease to amaze me.” He said sincerely. “That will allow them the land they require and then some. Thank you Sakura.”

Sakura nodded, pleased she could help. Silence stretched between them once again and Madara’s smile slowly faded from his lips.

“Is this how it will be now, this awkwardness between us?” He asked her quietly, surprising her.

Sakura didn’t say anything at first, considering his words. Slowly she looked up at him. “I’m sorry that I told you how I felt in such a forward manner and in front of your friend and his brother.”

Madara nodded, grateful they were speaking again.

“I think I understand why you...wanted me close but Madara, I’m not Izuna and you’re no longer at war with the Senju.” She held her breath. She had never spoken to him of these things, she wasn’t sure how he would react. “I didn’t come here with you to be kept in a cage.” Her eyes held his for a moment longer before dropping back down to her hands in her lap giving him the respect he deserved.

It was quiet in the room, she almost thought he wasn’t going to say anything, she wondered if she should leave.

“I never meant to cage you Sakura, only protect you.” He spoke quietly, his voice steady but soft. “You’re...important to me and...I’ve lost too many…” He couldn’t look at her, so he looked out the window of his office.

Realization washed over her making her tremble, he had never been so honest with her. “Thank you Madara. You’re important to me too. I didn’t just come here for myself.” Sakura rose from her seat at the front of his desk and moved to the side looking down at him.

Madara turned his head up to look at her.

“I came to be with you too, because I couldn’t bear to be alone, if you left, I wouldn’t have anyone either.” She smiled at him.

Madara nodded once, testing the feeling in his chest, his hand over his heart he closed his eyes and reached his other hand toward her which she took between both of hers. He sighed, the feel of her strong little hands around his one large one was reassuring, familiar and…”It is enough then. Find your own path in life, just...don’t forget me while you find yourself.”

Sakura laughed. “As if that were even a possibility Madara. I love you.”

Madara’s eyes flew open and his throat closed. She loved him. “Thank you.” He couldn’t say anymore without embarrassing himself. His voice cracked and his heart pounded in his chest, the pain from the night before receding into a minor pinch. “You know that I…”

“I know Madara. I’ve always known. You don’t have to say it.” Sakura lifted his hand to her cheek and turned her face to his palm. “I know.”

He could do nothing more than nod at her display of affection, the pinch in his chest disappeared to be replaced with such a flood of sudden warmth it made him shiver and tingle...what was this feeling...he closed his eyes once more relaxing into the softness of her cheek to bask in the truth of her words. He felt...better.

“Would you, like to have dinner tonight, together, like we used to before we came here?” Sakura set his hand back on his desk beside the other and smiled.

“That would be wonderful love, I’ll have cook make you your favorite if you like?” He watched her eyes sparkle.

“I look forward to it.” Sakura leaned forward and kissed him gently on the cheek. “See you tonight, Madara Sama.” She teased him.

“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “See you tonight, Sakura.” His eyes followed her out of his office, his senses felt her move down the hall to Hashirama’s office, then felt both of their signatures moving at a steady pace, back to the hospital. Slowly he let out a carefully measured breath. She is okay, I’m okay, he told himself...everything was going to be okay.

Hashirama showed Sakura the rest of the hospital, introduced her to all of the three doctors currently on staff and had them sit in as she healed several more broken legs, stab wounds and one serious injury that would have been fatal if not for her care. Word was beginning to spread about the pink haired woman who could heal better than anyone had known was possible. It was just as he had hoped.

By noon they had made their full rounds of the hospital, Sakura having healed the most dire cases and a few children who no doubt would have been fine if left to the care of the regular healers but Hashirama had wanted a diverse assessment of her skills to be witnessed and commented on after the patients left the hospital. He was building her reputation by using her own skills as the basis and her close association to him as the conductor.

For someone with no prior experience aside from healing a few minor cases since she had come here and her own wounds, she had done admirably that morning. By noon Hashirama had already formulated a plan in his mind. Now, he needed to execute it.

“Thank you for all of your help today Sakura. You have a natural affinity for both healing and people. I would like to show you something, if you would follow me?” Hashirama held his arm out to her.

Sakura cocked her head to the side, a habit of hers he had noticed, and slipped her arm in his as he led her to the back of the hospital and down a flight of stairs to the back doors. Once outside they walked down a bricked path, through a small garden and past a greenhouse where she assumed they grew the herbs and other plants needed to make their medicines for the hospital.

“You’ve read the archives and my journals, you know my skills and my affinity for wood style yes?” Hashirama asked her.

“I do.” Sakura looked out into the wooded area behind the hospital no doubt created by the man who stood beside her and smiled. “I’ve always wanted to see it.”

Hashirama smiled. “Well, I wouldn’t wish to disappoint you then would I?”

Sakura’s eyes went wide as Hashirama made a few hand signs and slammed his hands to the ground in front of them. Wood sprang up from the ground where no wood had been before, planks and walls and a roof, a porch and inner walls rose like vines and settled before her.

“What? A house?” Sakura walked up to the door of the house that had seemingly sprung up out of nowhere.

“There is a river in the back, not far, allow me to show you, let the house settle, we can look inside when we get back.” Hashirama moved past the house and through the woods expecting her to follow.

Sakura tore her eyes from the house and moved to follow Hashirama through the woods and down a small incline to the river. The water sparkled as the sun filtered through the trees, the water cutting a small path through the woods. “It’s beautiful.” Sakura bent at the edge of the river to touch the cool clean water, looking over her shoulder to smile at the Hokage.

“We are at the edge of the village. This is the forest that divides the boundaries of the village from the forest beyond the walls. It is more secluded from the rest of the village while still inside of the wall’s protective barrier.” He explained to her.

“You said at dinner last night you wished for Tobi to give you more missions so you could move out of the Uchiha compound. I will not deny your request to take missions, however, I would also like you to work at the hospital.” Hashirama watched Sakura, gauging her reaction. He didn’t know her like Madara, nor even as much as Tobi since they had gotten back from Benisu Island but he thought he saw a spark of interest in her eyes so he continued.

“For your healing abilities, that are unlike this time has ever seen, I will provide you with a house and a salary. I would like you to work at the hospital and take short term missions as they come in, at your pleasure. The choice is yours. This is a request, not an order, but I think it is a decent alternative that will suit both your own personal needs and that of the villages.” He could order her to do as he wished but he much preferred she accept the offer of her own free will.

Sakura stood rooted, her feet stuck fast to the grass beside the river. “Madara..do you think he will um…”

Hashirama smiled, she was considering it. “Madara will be pleased that you are in the village at least part time and that any mission you take will be short term. You will get the missions you requested, the home and the freedom you desire.” He drove the point home.

“Madara would be pleased I think to know you are both helping the village and remaining close to him. I will tell Tobi to give you missions no more than a few days, a week duration at the most so that your combat skills will not deteriorate. You will still get to travel, fight and be a shinobi, but you will also be a healer and a staple of the village. What do you say, Sakura?” Hashirama beamed at her pleased with himself, it was an ingenious plan.

“Can I see the house first, before I answer you?” Sakura blushed.

Hashirama laughed out loud not at all offended. “Of course!”

It was a beautiful house. Sakura ran her fingers over the smooth wood grain, impressed with the Hokage’s wood style abilities. He had made her a modest common area with an open kitchen, there was an enclosed bedroom to the left with an attached bath, already equipped with a wooden bathtub and stand.

“You even made a raised platform for a futon in the bedroom and counters in the kitchen.” Sakura laughed.

“There is a wide porch in the back of the house overlooking the woods as well.” Hashirama winked at her.

“You really want me to accept your offer don’t you.” Sakura looked around the house with a sigh. It was more than she could have dreamed of.

“It isn’t complete, it is just the structure but I am sure it won’t take long to furnish the home to your liking. Tobi and I will offer what we can and I’m sure Madara will assist you once he learns you will be in the village more.” Hashirama said in a hurry, worried she might find the situation too overwhelming.

Sakura laughed. “I accept Hokage Sama.” Sakura put her hands in front of her and bowed low with respect. “It is more than I had ever expected. Thank you for your kindness.”

Hashirama smiled a smile as dazzling as the sun that shone through the trees. “It is my great pleasure Sakura. Madara was right you know, you are going to be a very valuable asset to the village, to all of us. Now, let me show you what else this little area has to offer!” He clapped his hand to hers and pulled her back out of the house into the surrounding woods.


	18. Chapter 18

Sakura returned to the hospital after Hashirama had taken her on a tour of her new personal compound so to speak. There were no walls, she didn’t wish to take away from the natural beauty of the forest, something that pleased Hashirama greatly. He did however set up markers in the form of great trees that shot up into the sky towering over their fellows at the four corners of her gifted land. Trees perfect for climbing and reading in.

They had walked back to the hospital together and he had introduced her as the new Head Medic to the current hospital staff. Her title had been well received with only a few of the nurses darting furtive glances at one another. The gesture was not lost on Hashirama but he was confident that Sakura could handle them accordingly. A woman who could stifle a heated argument between his brother and the Uchiha clan head was more than capable of keeping a few nurses in line, or any other disputes he was sure would come up in his absence.

Hashirama was practically hugging himself at his own cleverness as he walked up the steps to the Hokage Tower.

“You seem very pleased with yourself.” Madara was leaning against the wall of his office waiting for him.

“I am.” Hashirama hummed with excitement. His friend would be pleased as well once he told him the good news.

“Oh? What have you done now? Added another one of your ridiculous tree houses to the forest for the squirrels?” Madara teased his friend.

“Yes actually, but it is less of a squirrel house and more of a new house and property allotment for our new Head Medic.” Hashirama gloated.

“Property allotment? I am supposed to handle the property distribution, who is this new Head Medic?” Madara asked suspiciously, surely Hashirama hadn’t found anyone better than Sakura.

Hashirama laughed at his old friend’s expression. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. “It’s Sakura Chan!” Hashirama crowed in glee at his friend’s stunned expression. Madara’s mouth hung slightly open, then snapped shut.

“Sakura? You made Sakura the Head Medic of our hospital?” Madara asked just to make sure he had heard Hashirama correctly.

“I did, and I gave her a decent plot of land behind the hospital that backs up to the river. I’ve set the markers already, no one has been assigned that land. I also made her a small house! She won’t need to buy a house or rent an apartment and she will be in the village more. She still wants to take short term missions but she won’t be gone for more than a week at a time at the most!” Hashirama nearly purred with happiness at the look of surprise, then pleasure that flooded Madara’s face.

“So she’ll be the new Head Medic, that will keep her in the village for most of the time and there is no one better for the position.” Madara said out loud but mostly to himself. 

“It’s a perfect plan!” Hashirama continued to smile pleased at how happy Madara seemed to be and how well he had taken the news of Sakura moving out of the Uchiha compound.

“Hn.” Madara was too choked with emotion to say anything more. Hashirama seemed to understand and clapped him on the back. Hashirama wanted to do whatever he could to keep his friend in the village and happy, if giving Sakura a bit of land and a house that he had made with his jutsu was all that it took, so be it. Besides, she really was perfect for the job, she would make both of them proud.

“She will be at the hospital for the rest of the day. I’ve already introduced her to most of the staff and announced her new title and position in the hospital. She will need her own office but that can be arranged later. What do you say we help her celebrate her new promotion by getting her a few things for her home, you know to show her you’re not mad?” Hashirama nudged his friend who simply nodded.

“Excellent!” Hashirama pulled Madara by the arm toward the market and for the first time in a long time, Madara let him.

Sakura had taken the time to address her staff as she thought she should as the new Head Medic of Konoha Hospital, then left for the market to get lunch. She had read all of Konoha’s Hokage’s journals, both private and public and knew the basic structure and policies that had been set in place over the years. She would just have to rely on that to get her through most of the clerical problems she had already noticed while going through the current records.

Healing, she realized, was going to be the easy part. 

Still, she was happy with her new position and her new house that Hashirama had made for her. She had her own home, land and a good job. She almost hugged herself as she walked down the street toward the market and the smell of good food.

Tobirama sat in his office at the academy eating his lunch. Try as he might he still couldn’t get the pink haired woman out of his thoughts. He knew he had a tendency to focus on things of interest to the point of obsession, but it had always been a formula, a jutsu or something academic or combative, never a person.

He could feel her chakra, smooth and gentle, as she moved through the village. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Ever since she had infused her finger with her chakra and had healed the small cut over his chest he hadn’t been able to suppress the urge to feel it again. It made him feel weak, incomplete and wrong somehow. 

Tobirama had never felt this way before and he wasn’t so much of a fool as to think it was love, no matter how many times his idiot brother hinted at him of the possibility. Love was for women and men who were too scared to die alone. Tobirama was above love, he didn’t need love in a romantic sense. Love brought you nothing but pain. It was a weakness.

“What does Sakura Chan like, do you think she would like a picture for her walls?” Hashirama stopped before a market stand that had ornate pictures on display.

“I am sure she will like anything you chose to get her, but perhaps it would be best to purchase something more practical, something she needs?” Madara raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at his friend who grinned sheepishly at Madara’s condescending disposition.

“Oh, right, right.” Hashirama looked back at the ornate picture of two swooping cranes before moving onto the next stand.

Sakura entered the market with the sun on her back and made her way to the small tea shop Madara had taken her to when she had first come to Konoha and picked up some dango and sticky buns. She felt the familiar thrum of both Hashirama and Madara’s chakra leaving the market and wondered what they were doing in the market together. 

Smiling to herself, she wondered if Hashirama had told Madara about her new arrangement. She didn’t mind if Hashirama was the one to tell him, she would have preferred to tell him, but his best friend would probably be better at calming him if Madara had been upset with the news that she would be moving out of his home sooner than either of them had anticipated.

“This is too much.” Madara had his hands behind his back as he looked around Sakura’s new home filled with the furniture and kitchenware he and Hashirama had purchased for her.

“Nonsense! She needed a futon didn’t she?” Hashirama adjusted the new blankets on the futon fondly. He had picked the colors out himself, green, the color of her eyes, with white trim, two cranes dancing across the bottom to match the picture on the wall.

“She’ll be so surprised!” Hashirama grinned at Madara who looked less and less enthusiastic.

“The house is too big for her, she will need help. I will give her Kiyomi.” Madara nodded, liking his idea more and more. He didn’t like the idea of Sakura living alone, not after she had lived alone so long in her own time with her parents gone all the time and no close friends...because of his meddling.

“There’s no room for a maid.” Hashirama pouted.

“You’re a wood style user, make another room.” Madara rolled his eyes at his friend.

“Oh yeah!” Hashirama smiled and walked outside surveying the structure once more from different angles. Madara followed him outside to watch.

Pressing his hands to the ground Hashirama formed four more walls on the other side of the house away from Sakura’s bedroom. With a few more hand signs, a door with a hole for a window and a door to the outside, as well as one that connected the room to the main house, appeared. Satisfied with his efforts, Hashirama stood back and gestured to the new addition, looking at his friend.

“You should make an outside bathroom too, for the summer.” Madara suggested and Hashirama nodded.making the small structure off to the side a little ways from the house closer to the dense woods.

Madara nodded, satisfied Sakura would have everything she needed.

“Do you think she’ll like it?” Hashirama asked, suddenly nervous.

“Hn.” Madara looked at the house. Sakura would love it.

Madara left Hashirama to his own devices and walked back to the Uchiha compound to tell Kiyomi she would be moving, to gather Sakura’s personal belongings and to move them to their new home behind the hospital. The maid had been both surprised and a little disappointed but only shook her head when Madara had asked her if she didn’t wish to accompany Sakura to her new home.

“No, it is my pleasure to serve Lady Sakura.” Kiyomi bowed low to Lord Madara. 

It wasn’t any of her business why the man was letting her mistress leave the compound, seemingly giving up the possibility to court her in Kiyomi’s eyes. If he wished to quell the growing gossip and rumors he could just as easily move Sakura to a home within the compound, close to him and still under the protection of the Uchiha guards.

Kiyomi shrugged and began packing Sakura’s things into wooden crates and set them by the door. When she had finished, two Uchiha Genin arrived to seal the crates into storage scrolls and led Kiyomi to the other side of the village to unseal Sakura’s things for her to unpack before Sakura could return home.

The house was so...big, Kiyomi thought as she looked around the rooms once the Genin had unsealed Lady Sakura’s things and left Kiyomi to organize on her own. Assuming that the room with the indoor bathroom was for her mistress Kiyomi moved the bedroom and bathroom crates into the room and started to unpack one item at a time placing them on the shelves provided.

Kiyomi worked diligently throughout the afternoon arranging Lady Sakura’s things to her liking and moving her own small trunk of her belongings into the room behind the kitchen. Evening rose around her as she placed the last of the gifted kitchenware on their shelves when she realized there wasn’t any food in the house. Laughing to herself she pulled out the purse Lord Madara had given her while Lady Sakura had been on her first mission and headed to the market.

Satisfied with her first day on the job Sakura finished filling out the last patient chart and handed it to the nurse behind the main counter to file according to Sakura’s new filing system. There had been some disgruntled comments, glares and outright refusals to change the way the hospital was run, but Sakura took it all in stride with patience beyond her years.

With a simple yet effective speech that she could run the hospital on her own if need be, anyone who didn’t wish to be there could leave, and tell the Hokage themselves why they disapproved of his personal choice in Head Medic. 

She continued to tell them that if they found a better way of doing things she had absolutely no issue with conforming to their method. When no one came forward she had clapped her hands together, smiled, and told them “Good, then this is how we will run things from now on.”

Never in her life had Sakura thought she would be running a hospital. She had wanted freedom and responsibility...and that is exactly what she had now, thanks to Hashirama. Of course the hospital was small and newly established only having been functional in the last year, but Sakura was proud of herself and couldn’t wait to tell Madara about her day over dinner.

Sakura waved to the guards as she walked through the open gates of the Uchiha compound, down the main street, to the main house. She hesitated outside of the front door, now that she had her own home, should she knock? Madara saved her the confusion by opening the door himself to let her in.

“Sakura.” Madara smiled as she stepped through the door into the common room.

“Madara.” Sakura smiled at him as she passed through the door, her excitement evident with the bounce of her step.

She’s happy, Madara could see it in her eyes, her walk and the way she kept flipping her hair back from her face. She had always done that when excited or pleased about something new.

“Where is Kiyomi? I have something I want to tell both of you.” Sakura looked around the room but saw no sign of her maid.

“I’ve sent her to your new home, to make things ready for both of you.” Madara smiled warmly at Sakura.

“Hashi told you.” Sakura pouted only slightly, she had hoped for the best and Madara was still smiling. Thank goodness.

“He did. I think it’s wonderful Sakura. Congratulations love.”

Without thinking Sakura leapt from the chair she had been sitting in across from Madara and fell into his lap hugging him. “I’m so glad you’re not mad.” In her joy at his clear acceptance and support for her choice, she nuzzled his neck affectionately.

Madara froze, no one had been this close, to him...ever. He had carried Sakura before, held her up while bandaging cuts or scraps but never...like this, her face buried in his neck, her breath warm on his skin, her body against his, hugging him close. “I’m not mad.” He said quietly, slowly wrapping his arms around her, burying his face in her hair...

It was only when Sakura pulled back from their embrace did she realize what she had done and how she was positioned on Madara’s lap. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she moved herself away, and out of his arms. For a moment, she could have sworn he had tightened his grip before letting her go, but she was probably mistaken, he was her mentor, her teacher...they didn’t have that kind of a relationship.

“Kiyomi knows then?” Sakura straightened her clothes and sat back in her chair, in a much more dignified manner than she had been sitting before.

Madara cleared his throat and straightened his clothes before answering her, fully composed once again.

“Yes, I sent her ahead of you to organize your belongings. Hashirama and I went to the market after he told me of your new arrangement and title. We bought you a few things to get you started in your new home. Hashirama made a small additional room for Kiyomi.” Madara looked at Sakura, his smile in his eyes. “I didn’t wish for you to be completely alone.”

“That was thoughtful of you Madara.” She smiled back at him, it was good to have him back, the tension gone between them.

“It might not always have seemed like it, but I want you to be happy.” 

Sakura could hear the sincerity in his voice, she had always known that, he didn’t have to tell her but it was still nice to hear.

Dinner was served by a nameless maid. They ate companionably, just like they used to and Sakura told him about her day.

“They looked at me like I was a talking fish.” Sakura laughed as she sipped her tea.

Dinner was over and they were sitting on the porch that overlooked the garden, side by side. There was a gentle breeze flowing over their faces and across the tops of the newly blooming camellias and chrysanthemums, the heavy floral scent adding to the relaxed friendly atmosphere.

“I am sure most of them are not used to taking orders from a woman.” Madara commented, making a mental note to drop into the hospital every once in a while to take her to lunch as well as to let the hospital staff know that they shared a close connection.

“I am sure that is the case, but also...it’s the hair.” Sakura laughed again, pointing to her pastel pink locks.

“You’re pleased, I can tell this work suits you.” Madara was happy. All the tension of the last two days left his shoulders. He leaned back, his weight braced on his outstretched arms behind him, palms flat against the wood of the porch.

“I think it does. You know, I only started practicing medical jutsu because I had mastered just about everything else, I never thought once, that I would be doing such a thing here. I thought I would be going on back to back missions, fighting enemy shinobi hell bent on infiltrating our village.” Sakura played with the hem of her shirt.

“Strange how things happen the way you least expect them to.” She leaned against the post beside her on the left and looked at Madara on her right. He looked more relaxed than she had seen him in days. She was glad.

“Thank you Madara, for your understanding. I was worried you would be offended, and maybe think me ungrateful.” She sat back up and leaned over the other way to place her hand over his.

He turned his head toward her, the light of the setting sun catching the gleam in his eye. “I would never think such a thing of you Sakura. You’re the kindest person I have ever met, maybe even more soft hearted than Hashirama.” He teased her.

“Soft hearted?” She frowned.

“Not weak love, kind.” Madara sat up and placed his hands over both of hers pulling them up and into his lap as he scooted closer to her on the porch.

“There is a difference?” She asked, still a little confused by his wording.

“Indeed there is. Kindness is not a weakness. Long ago, and for far too long I thought it was a weakness. I saw love and kindness both as a weakness but now…” His voice trailed off as the wind blew Sakura’s hair forward over her shoulders. Her scent wafted over him and he closed his eyes for a moment forgetting she was sitting there looking at him as he inhaled her scent of lavender and sun dried heat.

“...but now Madara?” Sakura prompted, her hands squeezing his in encouragement.

As he opened his eyes into her green ones, shining at him in amusement, he realized why men died for the woman they loved and how very dangerous love was. He would do anything for her, and he realized that he…

“Now I realize that love is not weakness, but strength.” He leaned forward and kissed her gently on her cheek.


	19. Chapter 19

Sakura found her place among the Konoha elite, as their healer and as their teammate. The initial animosity, mistrust and speculation she had faced when first taking her position at the hospital had dissipated over the last few months of blood, bone and guts. There simply wasn’t time for petty arguments when someone’s life was on the line and when push came to shove, Sakura proved to her staff and the rest of the village...that yes, she was the best damn medic they had ever had.

The tension between Madara and Tobirama continued but at a much more distant measure as they tended to avoid one another as much as possible. The cool and detached manner in which Tobirama had settled on after their awkward dinner had also been squashed, due to Sakura invading his office one afternoon at the academy and demanding to know what the hell his problem was.

So it was several months later and with two more missions under her belt that Sakura found herself once again walking beside Tobirama traveling on foot to the Land of Tea. Someone had called for a medic and a Master of Sealing. The village lord’s daughter had been poisoned by a rival village who had sought an alliance with them, but had been denied both the alliance and the lord’s daughter’s hand in marriage.

“It was a poor match. I love my daughter and would not chain her to such a beast. As you can see by what he has done to her, my worries were not unfounded.” The lord stood over his daughter who was laid out comfortably on a thick futon in her bedchamber.

“Her heart has been sealed. I was told by a nameless shinobi who passed by our village two weeks ago, but he did not know how to unseal her. The poison, our own medic surmised, is a slow release poison, presumably to give us time to reconsider his offer.” The lord clenched his fists at his sides.

“He can burn the whole village down over our heads before I will never submit to such blackmail!” The lord hissed through his teeth as he looked at his daughter's immobile form.

“Please.” The lord turned to Sakura bowing respectfully. “You are said to be the best medic there is, save her, please.”

Sakura laid both of her hands on the lord’s shoulders. “I will do everything I can, allow me a moment while I run a diagnostic on her.” Sakura stepped away from the nodding lord, kneeling down beside the woman’s sickly form. Tobirama stood behind her and began to question the lord about the nameless shinobi while Sakura ran glowing green hands over the lord’s daughter’s body.

She was poisoned, just as the lord’s medics had said but the poison wasn’t a slow release it was…”Does your daughter take any medications habitually?” Sakura drew the lord’s attention from Tobirama.

“Medications?” The lord looked at Sakura not understanding the word.

Sakura shook her head, “Um, receipts, medicine?” She amended to the verbiage of the times, even after several months here she was still getting used to the different phrases and mannerisms.

“Oh! Yes she does, she has suffered terribly from that terrible sugar sickness. A traveling medic gave her a tea to drink about two weeks ago.” The lord informed them.

“Two weeks ago when she fell ill?” Sakura almost rolled her eyes. And Tobirama was unable to prevent the snort that escaped his lips.

“Yes, do you think they are related?” The lord looked from Tobirama to Sakura with worried eyes.

Biting back some of her more insulting responses Sakura simply nodded. “May I see this tea that she has been drinking?”

“Yes of course, I will have one of the maids fetch it, please wait right here it will just take a moment.” The lord inclined his head and left Tobirama and Sakura in the room with his daughter and one of his guards.

“Did you find anything out about the seal? I found no seal on her person, perhaps it is somewhere in the house?” Sakura asked Tobirama who nodded.

“Wait here for the lord and the sample of tea. I will look around the grounds and through the estate to see if I can find the seal.” Tobirama left the room without a backward glance.

Sakura looked around the room while she waited for the lord to return. The room was decorated simply but richly and Sakura wondered about the lord of the other village and who he might be. Kneeling down beside the woman once again, Sakura ran her hands over the woman once more to make sure her assessment was correct.

“What is that?” Sakura murmured to herself as she continued to probe the woman’s body with her chakra.

Sakura turned to the guard in the room with her. “Was this woman injured recently?”

The guard looked at Sakura but remained silent. Sakura narrowed her eyes at the guard.

“I asked you a question.” Sakura stood and walked over to the guard.

“He won’t answer you, I apologize but they are not allowed to speak to anyone outside of the house.” The lord returned with several small bags of tea on a tray for Sakura to look at.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that.” Sakura apologized to both the guard, who didn’t move, and to the lord.

“Takeda San warned me you were a strange woman.” The lord smiled, then hurried to add. “A skilled and very capable healer, just different from other women, but I suppose that’s natural, being a kunoichi.”

“You know Takeda San? The herbalist?” Sakura asked.

“Yes, he is the one who recommended you to me.” The lord smiled a genuine smile at Sakura as she opened the bags of tea, sifting and pinching at its contents.

“Ah. As I thought.” Sakura pinched a dried bud between her fingernails and placed it in her palm for the lord to look at it. 

“This is Lily of the Valley, it is also called Monk’s Hood or Aconite. It is a medicine but it is also a poison.” Sakura explained.

“Given in small doses to patients with heart problems it can be very beneficial. However, in your daughter’s case, it is what is keeping her from waking fully and functioning properly. Her blood was thick and had a foreign substance in it but it was not a recognizable lethal poison. I knew it must have been something she had encountered or ingested.” Sakura dropped the little dried flower into the lord’s outstretched palm.

“Stop giving her the tea and she will wake.” Sakura smiled at the relief in the lord’s eyes.

“The seal however, I am unsure of. We will need to locate to formulate a solution. Tobirama has already gone to look for its location.” Sakura bowed intending to leave the room and join Tobirama in his search but the lord stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.

“Thank you, Sakura San.” The lord bowed his head to her, grateful for her help.

“You may thank me after we find the seal. What makes you think there is a seal on your daughter though, is it only because the nameless shinobi told you there was one on her heart?” Sakura asked.

“Yes, I know nothing of shinobi or your ways. I wouldn’t know a seal even if I saw one.” The lord admitted.

Remembering what she had found on her second diagnosis of the woman, sakura turned to the lord. “Was your daughter recently injured? Below her left breast?”

The lord’s face turned an embarrassed red. “Uh you would have to ask her maid, one moment I will get her for you.” The lord left Sakura alone in the room once more to fetch the maid for her.

When the lord returned with the maid and Tobirama.

“I searched the grounds and the entire mansion, there are no seals beyond the regular seals of protection common in villages such as these.” Tobirama looked down at Sakura where she knelt beside the woman.

“I see.” Sakura motioned for the maid to come closer.

“Was this woman injured recently?” Sakura saw the woman flinch, her eyes darting to the lord behind her. “Tell me.”

“Ye yes she was, she did not want to marry lord Balan. Lady Maroko, tried to kill herself. She was sure her father would sell her to the lord Balan.” The maid’s tears dropped from her eyes onto her hands.

Sakura looked at the guard, who had twitched. “...and the seal?” Sakura watched the guard as the maid answered her.

“My mistress bought it from a passing shinobi. She swore to love no one else but her true love.” The maid flinched as the lord of the house slapped her hard across the face.

Sakura looked at the woman on the futon with pity. “I see.”

“Do you?” The guard spoke, surprising everyone in the room as he darted forward cutting the throat of his lord and master.

Sakura leapt to her feet but before she could react Tobirama had her held tight in his arms. “It is none of our business Sakura, let it be.”

“...But Tobi he just…” Sakura sputtered.

“I know, and it does not concern us Sakura. Stand down.” Tobirama slowly released her once he was sure she wasn’t going to attack the guard.

“Your payment.” The nameless guard bowed low before Tobirama, a small bag held out in front of him.

Tobirama took the bag with a nod and then pulled Sakura from the room, and the mansion by the hand without a sound.

“Tobi stop, wait a minute.” She tried to pull her hand from his but he ignored her and kept walking through the village and into the surrounding woods.

“Wait a moment.” He told her as he pulled her down a hill and over the river, walking fast.

Only after he had put quite a bit of distance between the village they had just left and themselves did he finally stop and turn to face her, dropping her hand, his own falling at his side.

“I know it must seem strange to you, but we are ninja. We were hired to find out what made the lord’s daughter sick and cure her, which you did. We were not hired to protect the lord or his daughter.” Tobirama told her gruffly.

“...but the guard, he was...I think he was her lover and then he killed him and, what does that mean though?” Sakura had her hand to her head trying to figure it out but Tobirama sighed.

“It doesn’t mean anything to us Sakura. It is none of our business.” Tobirama added a little more gently. “It...can take some getting used to I imagine if you haven't grown up...here.”

Sakura nodded, but it was clear she still didn’t understand or agree with how they had left the village. This was important, she needed to understand, Tobirama tapped his fingers on his pants considering his options and how to explain it better to her.

“There is an Inn, in the next village over. Come, let’s go get something to eat and get some rest. We aren’t due back in the village for two more days, there is time.” He gently took her hand again and began walking her in the direction of the other village.

Sakura remained quiet for most of their walk. She thought she had prepared herself for more of the harsher realities of this time, but she had been wrong. War and blood was one thing, defending your village, your team, your loved ones...another, but what she had just witnessed, didn’t seem like war or blood or defense it just seemed like, murder to her.

The sun had risen as they walked and the air around them grew heavy with humidity. Once Tobirama was sure she wouldn’t run back to intervene with the lord’s affairs he let go of her hand. They were almost to the next village, it was too far for her to back track now.

He had learned over the last few months that he couldn’t simply shut Sakura out and ignore her. For one it wasn’t good for the village and secondly, she wouldn’t let him. If he were honest he found her logical and methodical way of thinking quite refreshing from both his brother’s sing song sort of idealism and Madara’s harsh tendencies toward ruthlessness when making important decisions for the village...but that didn’t make it any easier for him to talk to her.

Reluctantly, he had agreed with her that Madara had changed since he had returned to the village but had in his typical blunt and somewhat selfish manner gone on to say that while some things about the man had changed, the core never would. It had caused another temporary bout of animosity between himself and Sakura that he had come to quickly realize affected him much more than he wanted to admit.

After several bottles of sake and one night of foolishly telling his brother Hashirama how he felt when Sakura learned a new jutsu from him, or helped him figure out a new jutsu with him, his brother had told him...that he was in love with the woman and that the sooner he realized it the better...whatever that meant.

Over time and after speaking to Sakura on several occasions he had also learned his tone set a very distinct mood for the conversation as well as her attitude. If he spoke to her in his normally harsh and blunt tone, she dug her feet in and argued with him at every turn. However, if he softened his tone and spoke with more feeling, she was much more receptive to his opinion even if he disagreed with her.

Tobirama knew for this conversation, he would need to pick his tone carefully.

Sakura followed Tobirama up to their room at the inn and laid down on the bed without a word, her face buried in the pillow.

“I’ll go get us some food.” Tobirama watched her roll over on her back before he shut the door to their room behind him and walked back down the stairs to order their food.

When Tobirama returned, Sakura was in the bathroom, he could hear the water moving in the bathtub and sighed. She always did this whenever they left the village for missions together. He would go get food for them and she would get into the bath knowing full well he would be right back with their food, making him wait for her.

She had only been on three other missions before this one, the one he had taken her on for her trial and two others. All but one of the missions had been with him. He had made sure of it after her second mission to the Fire Palace. In the mission report she had written in combination to the team captain’s mission report, complaining that the other two male teammates had insisted all three of them share a bed together and that she had woken up to her chest wraps loosened and her pants undone.

Her teammates had denied any wrongdoing of course but he had been furious.

In addition to their broken arms, courtesy of Sakura, they had been assigned guard duty for the next month without pay...by him. Since then, the only missions she had taken were medical ones or other specialty missions that also required him to accompany her. If Madara had noticed...which he was sure he had, he didn’t say anything.

Tobirama unpacked their food while he waited for Sakura to get out of the shower, placing her box of tempura and Dango on one side of the table and his grilled fish and rice, on the other. Like clockwork, Sakura opened the door to the bathroom, towel over her head, those weird clothes she liked to call ‘pajamas’ on, and walked over to the table to see what he had gotten for her.

“My favorite. You remembered.” Sakura smiled at her friend. He was much more thoughtful than people gave him credit for, even if he could be a huge jerk sometimes.

“Of course I remember. I remember everything about you.” He said without thinking. He was always thinking...either too much or too little around her.

Sakura paused. “I suppose that’s good, I never have to remind you, which reminds me, I broke your water sealing seal before we left, you’ll have to come up with something else.” She winked at him playfully.

“Hmph.” Tobirama picked up his chopsticks and tapped them into order before opening his box of grilled fish.

Sakura and Tobirama had been playing a game together for the last two months, well, Sakura called it a game but Tobirama called it research and development. He would try to come up with a new seal, one she or he had never heard of before, and she would try to break it. If she broke it, he had to buy her dinner. If she couldn’t break it, she had to make him dinner.

“You get to buy me dinner. I want to go to the new dumpling shop by the hospital.” Sakura picked up a piece of her tempura waving it in the air at Tobirama who glowered at her.

“Stop waving your food around, you’re worse than Hashirama. I just bought you lunch, doesn’t that count?” He added as he took another bite of fish.

“Konoha is paying for this, not you, it doesn’t count. You know the rules and you never break the rules right Tobi?” Sakura teased him, she loved to tease him. He rarely laughed but when he did it was well worth the effort. She wanted him to laugh more freely, like he had done when they had first met.

“I never agreed to those rules, you’re the one who made this into a game. It is important research and you’ve reduced it to nothing more than...than…” Tobirama chewed his rice thinking hard.

“Fun?” Sakura laughed at her friend as his ears turned pink.

“You need to have more fun Tobi, relax a little. I’m actually surprised you brought me here instead of marching straight back to the village.” Sakura continued to tease Tobirama who eventually began to relax under her laughter and smiles.

“You’ve been so busy at the hospital lately, I haven’t gotten to spend any time with you.” He said shortly.

“You missed me?” Sakura looked up from her bento, all of her previous teasing gone from her voice.

“No.” Tobirama’s ears turned pink again and he looked away from her.

“You did.” Sakura took another bite of her food, watching him squirm. She smiled. “I missed you too Tobi.”

“Why are you in your ‘pajamas’, it is just a little past one pm?” He asked her, ignoring her comment.

“I can change if you want to go out.” She closed her empty box and tossed it in the trash from her seat.

“I didn’t say I wanted to go out, I merely wondered.” He closed his own box, but walked it to the trash can on the other side of the room instead of throwing it like she had.

“I just feel blah, you know?” She laid her head on the table and looked at him with her green eyes, without blinking.

“No.” He shifted in his seat. “If it is about what happened at that mansion, we should talk about it.”

Sakura turned her head and looked away from him. “You think I’m weak because I wanted to do more, to help more, don’t you?”

“No.” Tobirama disagreed. “I think you’re not used to the blunt reality of our world because it is still in the process of becoming your world.”

“That was well said Tobi.” Sakura got up from her chair and flopped down on the bed. Tobirama sighed and followed her to the bed, sitting on the edge.

“We only do what we are paid for, nothing more, nothing less.” Tobirama patted her hand and rubbed her back with the other then stood up. “Stay here. I’m going to go out for a bit.”

Sakura nodded into the pillow.

When Tobirama returned to their room later that evening with their dinner, Sakura was sitting in the bed, awake, but reading.

“I brought back dinner.” He set the food on the table.

“That still doesn’t count as dinner, you’re still going to take me out.” She hopped off of the bed to see what he had brought her.

“I know.” He hid his smile in the collar of his shirt. He only smiled around her like this...was that love?

Later that evening he watched her get ready for bed, like he usually did before blowing out the light. It was summer and she was hot. He was hot too but she...wore less to bed tonight than he had been used to seeing her in. He felt it was almost indecent the way her tank top didn’t quite reach her shorts and the way her shorts didn’t quite cover her hips and rode up the sides of her bare thighs. Tobirama swallowed and blew out the other lamp beside the door before crawling onto his pallet on the ground as was their custom.

It was dark when he woke to an unknown disturbance in their room. He jumped to his feet to check the door, the windows and then the bed. Sakura was whimpering in her sleep. He set down his kunai and swiped a hand over his face, he never slept well with this woman in the same room as him.

Sakura’s eyes opened and she reached a hand up and out to him. “Tobi.” She mumbled.

He stared down at her, surely she couldn’t want him to…

“Please, just for tonight.” Her slim pale fingers curled once then uncurled against his hand as he reached out for her.

She pulled him onto the bed with her and rolled closer to him, her back up against his chest. “Thank you Tobi.”

Tobirama brought his arms down to settle around her bare shoulders, swallowing tightly lest he choke and die right there in her bed.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost ended this fic right here, so I could move onto my next Sasori and Sakura fic...but I decided not to, it didn't feel right...

He could count the particles of dust in the morning light as it filtered in through the curtains that covered the window in their room. Sakura was still asleep, still in his arms in the very same position she had fallen asleep in last night. He hadn’t been able to sleep, not with her so close, so warm and so...soft.

Tobirama knew he didn’t love her, but this was something he had never experienced before and it was...nice. He wasn’t prone to thoughts of whimsy like his brother, he was rational, logical, his feet planted firmly on the ground but ever since he had met this woman he had, changed...had found himself…

He had never been this close to a woman, not since he had been a child, and never in a bed. Sakura’s pajama strap had fallen off of her shoulder in her sleep. He had noticed the moment it had fallen, having watched the progressive movements of her back and shoulders as she slept, until little by little the strap had moved to finally slip over the last bit of resistance, to fall and leave her shoulder bare.

She looked so smooth. Tobirama stiffened. His thoughts carrying on in his head. He was not like most men, he refused to hold himself at the lowest common denominator and yet, he could not look away from her.

Sakura’s eyes were closed of course in her sleeping form, her breath even and light as it moved between her parted lips. Her chest rose and fell, whispered movements of complete temptation under his forearms where he held her skin to skin, her top scrunched up under her breasts from sleep.

Tobirama swallowed. What was wrong with him. Lust. Desire. The words flew through his head. He knew what this was and he didn’t care for it. It was carnal and vapid at the same time. He had to move. Morning was here and it was time to rise for the day.

Slowly he began to withdraw his arms from around her chest and shoulders, but she moved back against him putting an end to his efforts. As he lay there thinking of using his Flying Thunder god technique to slip across the room and away from her, she turned in his arms and buried her face in his chest. He froze.

Sakura’s hands were tucked up against her chest but her breath was hot on his shoulder where she had pressed her head into his body, her legs twined with his and he could feel with his feet just how soft she was as they brushed against her ankles. His legs had been bent, because he had meant to slip out of the bed but now, in this new position she had curled her body to his, to fit snugly against him and...he was trapped.

He couldn’t decide, did he want to leave or stay. She would be mortified to wake in such a position, he knew she wasn’t aware of their...position. Should he wake her or just…

Tobirama didn’t know how long he lay there thinking, but he knew he needed to make a choice and not just about their present situation, but about their friendship. He had been pushing her away only to be drawn in by her addictive personality over and over. When he had put distance between them, she had forced him to take down his walls. He gave up. There wasn’t any point in fighting it. The truth was, he really enjoyed her company.

He sighed. Friends, it wasn’t a bad word, it didn’t leave a bad taste in his mouth. Friends, he could do that, he could be friends with her. He hadn’t ever had a friend, not really. Hashirama didn’t count. It was a relative time of peace. Perhaps now was the time to make...one friend.

“Sakura.” Tobirama pet his ‘friend’ on the head to wake her, ignoring how soft and smooth her hair was under his calloused palm.

“Time to wake up.” Tobirama shook her lightly in his arms.

“Not yet.” Sakura mumbled and moved closer, pressing herself up against his chest.

“Sakura.” Tobirama said a bit more forcefully than he had intended.

Sakura’s eyes flew open and she tilted her head back to look at Tobirama. Her eyes shone like dark pools of green sea water, the kind of foam and waif you saw on the shores of the Crescent Moon Island. Tobirama opened his mouth to speak but no words came out as Sakura continued to stare at him.

Tobirama’s eyes had always fascinated Sakura. He was an albino and had the typical red eyes but they were different, darker and a bit wider right now. He looked less like the gruff and stern Tobirama that she was used to and more like a softer, less refined version with his white hair in disarray, spiked out on one side and flat on the other. She giggled.

“What are you laughing at?” He scowled at her, looking much more like the Tobirama she was used to.

“Your hair.” Sakura continued to giggle, both of them seemingly forgetting they were wrapped up in one another's legs, arms and pressed together in a most inappropriate manner.

“What’s wrong with my hair?” Tobirama lifted one of his hands to smooth down his spiky locks but was stopped by Sakura reaching her own two hands up to smooth them down for him.

With her hands and fingers in his hair it brought her chest to his and he froze...again, only this time closing his eyes. This isn’t love, he told himself. Do not be a fool, he scolded himself, but he couldn’t deny the rapid beating of his heart or the arousal in his lower half as she continued to smooth down his hair, her chest rubbing against his.

“Sakura stop.” His voice cracked and broke much to his embarrassment.

Sakura stilled her hands in his hair and looked into his eyes that were open once again.

“We should, go back to the village.” He said quietly.

Sakura nodded but neither of them moved. Sakura licked her bottom lip, her tongue darting out of her mouth. Tobirama followed the motion with his eyes, then met her eyes once more. Neither one of them would look away. He knew this was bad, what were they doing...without thought, without meaning to, he leaned into her and gently brushed his top lip over her bottom one.

Sakura gasped.

“I’m sorry.” Tobirama’s heart clenched in his chest. She didn’t want him, he had been mistaken.

What had he just done. He looked back up to see a sort of glazed and heated look in Sakura’s eyes. He shouldn’t have looked, that was his second mistake, the first having accepted her invitation into her bed in the middle of the night last night.

“Tobi?” Her voice was soft and small with a hint of...need in it.

She did want him...Tobirama growled, he wanted her but he didn’t know how to...damn it.

“Did you just…” Her voice was too light, too soft, it reminded him of his dreams he had of her and it made him want to...he pulled her closer to him, bent his head and pressed his lips to hers.

A small, almost indistinct mewl escaped Sakura’s lips as she moved against Tobirama, his hands flat and spread across her upper and lower back as he pulled her closer and deeper into his kiss.

“I’m sorry.” He pushed her away gently but quickly. 

“Forgive me.” He moved away from her on the bed and threw his feet over the side, rising and moving fast toward the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Once inside he leaned against the back of the door, his head slumped forward into his hands. What was wrong with him, what had he just done…

Sakura sat up in the bed, the summer sun streamed through the window, making the single tear that slipped down the side of her face sparkle and shine as it fell from her chin. “What did I do wrong?” She whispered.

Tobirama groaned against the back of the door when he heard her whisper to herself. ‘Nothing’, he wanted to tell her. The kiss had been his fault. He was a fool.

They left for Konoha under a tense and unbearable silence two hours later.

Madara was waiting for them at the gate. 

He watched as they ran over the last stretch of the forest, a frown on his face. Something had happened. Sakura looked upset and Tobirama was more tense than usual.

“What happened?” Madara demanded as they slowed to a stop in front of him.

“The guard killed the lord but Sakura found the poison that weakened the lord’s daughter. I’m going on ahead to write the report, there is no need to join me Sakura.” Tobirama walked past them, through the gate and jumped to the nearest roof, running through the village to the tower.

Sakura looked after the Senju with hurt in her eyes. Madara knew there was more to the story than Tobirama had told him. “Sakura, what else happened on your mission?” He asked her gently.

“Nothing Madara.” Sakura looked away from Tobirama’s disappearing figure and looked at the ground before drawing her eyes up to meet Madara’s.

“At least, nothing I want to talk about right now.” She amended. He knew her and she knew him. Madara knew something had happened, just as she knew this wouldn’t be the end of their conversation about it.

“Hn.” He crossed his arms over his chest. He had a bad feeling about this, whatever this was.

“Is there a reason you met us by the gate Madara?” She asked him curiously as they walked through the village to her house behind the hospital.

“I leave tomorrow for the Inuzuka territory to the south. I would like you to come with me. I believe they are almost ready to join the village but need a little more convincing that I am unable to give them.” Madara said as he continued to watch her body language, his sharingan flashing in and out as he resisted the urge to scan her with his mangekyou.

“You think I’ll be able to convince them?” She smiled. He had been turning to her more and more these last few months, not as a teacher and mentor, but as an equal.

“Yes. I am hoping for an opportunity to show them first hand how great a healer you are and that others, other than myself know how to smile in Konoha.” He smiled at her easily, something he had yet to master with others.

Sakura laughed. “Let me check in at the hospital. I need to take on an apprentice, someone who can handle things while I’m gone.” This wasn’t the first time she had thought of the prospect, but she hadn’t found anyone trustworthy or talented enough yet.

“Of course. We don’t need to leave until tomorrow, but I would like to leave by late morning, before noon at the least.” Madara slid her door open for her, gesturing for her to go first.

“I can manage that.” Sakura waved to Kiyomi who was in the common room organizing some herbs Sakura had taught her to recognize.

“Welcome home Lady Sakura. Good morning Lord Uchiha.” Kiyomi bowed and left the room to get a tea tray ready for her lady and her clan head.

Madara waited until they each had a cup of tea in their hands and were settled on Sakura’s couch to ask his questions.

“Care to tell me what else happened on your mission Sakura?” Madara watched her over the rim of his tea cup as he sipped.

“Have you ever um, dated Madara?” Sakura asked, blushing a little.

“Courting? No, I’ve never courted anyone. I never had time to do such a thing before Konoha was founded. Why do you ask?” He was trying to keep his voice steady, normal and inquisitive. Something had happened between her and Tobirama and he didn't want her shutting him out before he found out what had happened.

“Not courting. Just kissing maybe? You know dating, like what you tried to keep me from doing with Sasuke?” Sakura raised a pink brow at Madara.

“I told you before, that boy wasn’t good enough for you. I don’t care if he was an Uchiha or not, he wasn’t a shinobi.” Madara repeated the words he had said to her less than a year ago.

“What if, I’m interested in a shinobi though, how do I know if he...I mean I think he might.” Sakura’s face was red and she stammered through her sentence.

“Who is it? Is it Tobirama?” Madara demanded slamming his cup down on the table.

Sakura watched Madara. Was he jealous? No, it was because it was Tobirama...who had killed Izuna.

“It isn’t anyone specific. I only. I’ve never dated and I’m twenty Madara. I know I don’t come from this time but most women my age here are either already married with three kids, or widowed with three kids.” She looked down at her tea cup and turned it in her hand clockwise counting the rotations as she thought about her next words.

“You...want to be married and have...children?” Madara’s heart began to ache in his chest again. Had she found someone? Someone else?

“Well, not exactly, I mean, eventually. I have a lot going on with the hospital and I’m still learning how things are done here but it would be nice to , I don’t know, go on a date.” Sakura looked up at Madara and laughed despite her blushing cheeks. “I can’t believe I’m talking to you about this, but...you’re the only person I’m close to here so…”

“You’re lonely.” Madara understood. He was lonely.

Sakura nodded. “Work keeps me busy and I have Kiyomi but, well on this mission I realized, I want, someone, a boyfriend, you know?”

He knew...except he didn’t want just anyone.

“Did you have someone in mind?” He picked his cup back up, hoping his grip was as relaxed as he was trying to make it seem and brought the cup to his lips.

“Tobirama and I have similar interests…” Sakura never got to finish her sentence.

“I’ll take you on a date if you are looking for a date.” Madara gripped the teacup so tightly that it cracked. “I do not want you dating Tobirama.”

“I wasn’t saying I wanted to date Tobirama Madara.” Sakura clarified. “I was going to say, before you interrupted me that we have similar interests but I am not sure if that is enough to consider dating him.”

“Hmph.” Madara set his cracked teacup down on the tray and wiped his hands on the cloth napkin.

“What are you so mad about, I just said that I didn’t think Tobirama and I were dating material. I mean he’s handsome and intelligent but I don’t really think that the kiss was…”

Madara’s chakra erupted around them, cracked and exploded making her entire house shake.

“Tobirama kissed you?” Madara’s voice was low and piercing.

“Well we, it was my fault.” Sakura stammered, she could barely breathe under the release of Madara’s full chakra.

“What did he do to you!” Madara roared, gripping her arms in his hands with bruising intent, picked her up and slammed her up against the wall of her home across the room.

“Madara, please, I can’t breathe.” Sakura’s eyes had started to roll back into her head as she slumped in his grasp.

“I’m sorry.” He released her arms allowing her to slump forward into his arms. “I…”

Sakura’s head rested against his chest as he held her in his arms. Tobirama had kissed her...she thought he was intelligent and handsome…

“Madara you don’t listen to me.” Sakura was looking up at him.

“I heard you tell me that Tobirama kissed you.” He said flatly, reigning in his chakra. He could feel Hashirama moving their way, no doubt investigating his chakra explosion.

“I also said it wasn’t like that. I realized on the way back to Konoha, I don’t want to date Tobirama.” She huffed at him.

“Oh.” Madara leaned back onto the floor with her, his back leaning against one of her chairs as they sat together on the floor.

“Did you mean it when you said you would take me out on a date?” Sakura asked him timidly. “Or did you just say that because you didn’t want me to date Tobi?”

“Sakura I…” He began but was interrupted by Hashirama.

“Is everything alright?” Hashirama slid back Sakura’s front door without knocking and entered her home.

“It’s fine, get out.” Madara growled at his friend.

“I felt your chakra Madara, did something happen? Is Sakura Chan okay?” Hashirama looked at them sprawled out on the floor, Sakura in Madara’s arms.

“We’re fine, a slight misunderstanding, get out.” Madara’s sharingan spun in his eyes and Hashirama flinched.

“Fine fine, just wanted to make sure you were both okay.” Hashirama muttered leaving the two of them alone.

Madara tightened his grip on Sakura and lifted her off of the ground as he rose, sitting down on the couch with her in his lap. Sakura continued to look at him in confusion.

“You’ve grown into a very beautiful woman, Sakura. I can see why the Senju bastard kissed you but...even he is not worthy of you.” Madara bowed his head so that his hair fell over both of his eyes.

“Madara.” Sakura whispered. Was he, did he...

“No one is good enough for you. Not even me but I would still like to take you on that date, if you want to go with me.” He still refused to look at her, but his arms had tightened around her waist and she could see his pulse racing in his neck.

“Out of pity?” She asked, she didn’t want him to take her out of pity. There could be no misunderstandings between them about this. She wanted clarification, needed it, demanded it.

“No.” Madara lifted his head to look at her, his sharingan flashed and spun changing into the feared mangekyo. He needed to be honest with her, he needed to tell her the truth...he needed to be honest with himself. If he didn’t say it now, he knew he would regret it, he didn’t want anymore regrets.

“I love you.” He started to drop his head again but Sakura stopped him with her hands on his cheeks.

“Like a student?” She whispered, her breathing quick.

She was going to make him say it…he groaned internally. Now or never he reminded himself.

“As a woman.” 

Her breath left her.

...as a woman. He saw her, as a woman, not a child, not a student...Madara...

“I love you too Madara, I think I always have.” Sakura smiled. This...felt right.

Madara nodded once testing the feeling of warmth in his heart. Stability, home...

“Then, you accept my courtship?” He watched her bite her bottom lip between her front teeth and waited.

Sakura nodded. “Yes Madara, we can court.”

Madara licked his bottom lip and nodded like she had. “I want to, may I…” He leaned forward, she closed her eyes. Very gently, he ran his lips over hers until her lips parted with a gasping intake of breath that made him press forward. Her whole body moved into him, her tongue slid over his first, his catching hers as he swiped back against her cheek. She giggled and he pulled away.

Their eyes met over their smiles. 

“Dinner tonight?” He asked her, his breath short, his eyes deep pools of dark desire, fathomless black.

“Dinner.” She smiled, light green irises bouncing and sparkling like the summer grass in the wind.


	21. Chapter 21

They had been sitting together in the Hokage’s office when Madara’s chakra had exploded. Hashirama had stared wide-eyed at his younger brother.

“Go, make sure.” Tobirama covered his face with his hands. 

He had just told his brother that he and Sakura had...kissed on their mission as part of their mission report, and clearly, she had just told Madara.

Hashirama ran as fast as he could across the village toward the little house behind the hospital, waving away the guards on his way, sure that both Madara and Sakura wouldn’t appreciate the extra eyes or ears.

When he had burst through Sakura’s front door he had seen them on the floor by the wall, Madara’s back up against a chair, Sakura in his arms. Madara had told him to leave...Sakura appeared shaken but not injured...so he had left, walking slowly back toward the tower, and to Tobirama. Tobirama...shit, what was he going to tell his brother?

Hashirama pushed the doors to his office open and met his brother’s stoic eyes. He was hiding his feelings behind reserve, Hashirama cleared his throat. He knew his brother well. Tobirama didn’t kiss women, he didn’t let his guard down around anyone long enough to even consider kissing them...he had never shown the slightest bit of interest in anyone, other than Sakura.

“They’re fine. They’re talking. Um, working things out.” Hashirama sat behind his desk and watched his brother’s shoulders relax. He had been worried.

“Tobi.” Hashirama began slowly, he had to be careful with his brother, he knew the only reason Tobirama had told him anything was because it had happened during their mission, if it hadn’t he never would have known.

“Do you, like Sakura Chan, I’m serious, do you...have sincere feelings for her?” Hashirama didn’t smile or give an indication that he was teasing his brother like he tended to do. He needed to know, for all of their sake.

“I don’t know.” Tobirama said quickly in his defense. “I’ve never felt like this before, it’s...confusing if I’m honest. She annoys and frustrates me to no end but...intrigues me at the same time and she doesn’t let me shut her out. She's...annoying.” 

Tobirama frowned at the scroll in his hand. “...and she keeps breaking my damn seals.”

“I see, so you admire her and respect her but Tobi, do you...I mean are you attracted to her?” Hashirama prodded his brother for more information.

“Her hair is too loud and her eyes are too strange. They, distract me.” Tobirama tucked the scroll he had been looking at in his pouch and walked toward the door to leave.

“She and Madara seemed to be closer than usual. When I saw them, they were...close Tobi.” Hashirama told his brother, in warning or in sympathy he himself wasn’t sure but he was sure that Tobirama deserved to know what he had seen if...he did care for the woman like he thought he might.

“Hmph.” Tobirama left his brother’s office and walked down the hall, out the tower doors and home. So...Madara did have feelings for the woman after all, Tobirama yanked the door open to the house he shared with his brother, but would it last…

Kiyomi stood beside Sakura Sama as Lord Madara walked the short stone path from their front door to the road that would take him back to the hokage’s Tower, a small smile on her face. Her lord had confessed his love to her Lady, Kiyomi couldn’t be more pleased. Soon, Lady Sakura would wed the Uchiha clan head and the next generation of the main branch would be born. Kiyomi smiled into her hand as she opened the door for her Lady and closed it behind her.

“You’re leaving again? So soon? You just got back.” One of the many nurses complained to Sakura when she had informed her staff she would be leaving with Lord Uchiha on a diplomacy mission tomorrow.

“It is for the village, we need more clans to keep us strong. I shouldn’t be gone for more than a week at most.” Sakura informed them. “I will be picking my apprentice when I get back, so be ready and do your best while I’m gone.”

“Really? You’ll teach one of us to heal like you?” One of the nurses asked excitedly.

“Yes.” Sakura smiled. “One of you or anyone who shows potential.”

“What does that mean?” One of the doctors asked rudely. 

“It means I will not limit myself to my current staff. I will teach anyone with the talent and chakra control to learn.” Sakura said smoothly, used to how the Doctors disagreed with her gentle inclusion of the nursing staff to their meetings and worthy ranks.

“Kiyomi will be checking in with you while I am gone and filling out a daily report to give me when I return. I expect all of you to do your best and stick to my policies and procedures in my absence.” Sakura patted the bundle of paperwork she had tied up in folders in her left arm. “I will be reviewing your reports while I’m gone and plan to have one on one conferences with each of you upon my return.”

Sakura bowed formally to her staff who bowed back. She smiled. “Are there any more questions before I go?”

“No Lady Sakura.” Her staff chirped dutifully, without resentment this time.

Madara met Sakura at her home that evening, a small package in his hand as he knocked on her door for forms sake, she knew he was there, she had felt his chakra from across the village. Sakura slipped out the door and stood before him smiling, her eyes light and mischievous.

“If I didn’t know better, I would be wary of that grin on your face.” Madara waved his hand gracefully up and down, encompassing her whole figure rather than just her face.

Sakura laughed. “Did you bring me something Madara?” She pointed to the small parcel in his hand.

“Yes.” With an incline of his head he handed the package to her with both of his hands wrapped around the paper, holding it out before him.

Sakura took it in her hands and turned it over. It was light. “Can I shake it?” She asked playfully.

“If you want it to break.” Madara nearly rolled his eyes at her making her laugh again.

She tore the paper from the small box and popped the top peering inside. “Oh.” She smiled, a breathy noise of surprise caught in her throat as she lifted the hair comb from the blue velvet that it had sat upon. “How beautiful.”

Madara watched her trace the wings of the jeweled dragon fly with care as she bit her bottom lip. “I love it Madara.”

“Allow me to put it in your hair for you love.” Madara took the comb from her fingers and slid it into her hair on the side, away from the curls Kiyomi had pinned up for their date that evening.

“You look beautiful, Sakura. The colors suit you.” He offered his arm to her.

Sakura blushed, sliding her arm through his and allowing him to walk her down the step to the road.

“Where are we going?” Sakura looked up at Madara as they walked, his hair in a low spiky ponytail, his bangs covering his left eye on one side.

“I had cook make us something special tonight and set it out on the back porch by the garden. It is such a beautiful evening and the sakura trees are in full bloom. I thought you might wish to eat among the blossoms and the stars.” He ducked his head a bit in embarrassment at his sentimentality.

Sakura had never seen this side of Madara before...she quite liked it. “That sounds terribly romantic Madara.”

Madara stopped walking and looked down at her. “We’re courting, this is when I am supposed to be romantic, am I not?” He looked truly confused which made her laugh. He narrowed his eyes at her.

“No, no you’re right. I’m sorry.” She couldn’t have asked for a better first date.

Dinner had been wonderful, the atmosphere romantic and Madara had been a perfect gentleman. He had walked her home and kissed her hand with promises to meet her at the gate at ten am the following morning so that they might travel to the Inuzuka territory together in leisure. Sakura had smiled and waved as he had turned to walk back to the Uchiha compound alone, shutting the door behind her with a small giggle.

Kiyomi watched her Lady as she walked to her bedroom that night, her hands on her blushing cheeks, and stars in her eyes. It made Kiyomi happy to see Sakura so happy. Her mistress worked too hard, took little rest and deserved some happiness. 

Kiyomi did not approve of her mistress's friendship with the younger Senju. She didn’t like the way the man seemed to always know where her Lady was and what she was doing. Kiyomi was glad that Lord Madara had finally confessed to Sakura Sama. The Senju could find someone else as far as Kiyomi was concerned.

Tobirama sat at his desk in his bedroom looking over the small stack of scrolls he had set out for his research. Sakura and Madara both told him and Hashirama he had made a scroll that had bound Madara to a certain point and time, yet he hadn’t made it...yet. If he had done it once though, he was sure he could do it again. Or rather, if he had done it in the future, there was no reason he couldn’t do it now, if he concentrated hard enough.

What had Sakura said about the seal...that every time Madara had used his chakra and tried to break it, it had sent him back to the time Hashirama had sealed him. A transportation jutsu, then activated by an identifying chakra signature. Tobirama tapped the end of his brush against the edge of his desk...transportation jutsu...could he make one to...send Madara back to Sakura’s time? An interesting thought…

Tobirama shook his head. He couldn’t do that, what if it sent Sakura back with Madara...he would lose her forever and even if it didn’t and it only sent Madara...Sakura would never forgive him if she found out. Hashirama had been so happy to have his friend back, could he do that to his brother...he remembered how nothing had been able to console Hashirama after he had thought Madara had abandoned their village, abandoned him.

...but he had abandoned him, the village...even his clan. Madara was still a traitor in Tobirama’s eyes, but Sakura, she didn’t deserve to be sent back with the man, she belonged here...with other shinobi. Tobirama swallowed his nerves. It was too great of a risk. With a steady hand he rolled up the open scrolls and set them in a neat pile on the corner of his desk. No, it wasn’t worth the risk.

As promised, Sakura met Madara by the gates of Konoha at ten am the next morning. They smiled at one another in silent greeting and he noticed she had his comb in her hair again, the one he had gifted to her the night before. Madara liked seeing the comb in her hair, knowing she wore it for him, belonged to him.

The Inuzuka clan territory was south west of Konoha not quite to the Bay of Fire but not quite on the border of Rivers. It would take them less than a day’s travel to get there. Madara had told her they would camp in the woods and be at the Inuzuka's by noon the following day as etiquette dictated. A fair day's travel and a good night’s rest. Sakura had no complaints.

The sky was clear and the day warm as they walked companionably through the Land of Fire. Madara reminded her of the study Sakura had done in her time on the different clans and etiquette for each. She nodded and laughed at his distaste for the Inuzuka. They were a rougher clan, with fewer rules but fierce for all that. ‘Barbarians’, Madara had called them in her time, warriors he called them now the closer and closer they came to their territory.

“With the way you eat, you’ll fit right in.” Madara was unusually playful with her as they walked, closer than they normally would have before their date.

“Just because I don’t take teeny tiny bites of my food doesn’t mean I eat like a pig. I’ve seen the way some of the Uchiha women eat, how do they ever finish eating? It takes them forever to eat one bowl of rice.” Sakura complained and not for the first time.

“They may afford to pace themselves, they have very little to occupy them, unlike you, Head Medic and Kunoichi of the Leaf.” Madara complimented her.

“Is that why you never married, before Madara? You never found a woman you could respect?” Sakura asked him boldly.

“In part, yes, but also it was the farthest thing from my mind, there were so many more important things that garnered my attention than marriage.” He told her honestly.

“...and now?” She asked him.

“Now…” Madara looked down at her without blinking. “It is very much on my mind.”

They walked in silence until evening, both embarrassed and thoughtful over their bold questions and revelations that afternoon.

Madara made a fire for their camp, an abandoned cottage, half of the roof rotted away and caved in, the other half decent and dry enough to shelter them for the night. Sakura watched the smoke rise and drift over the cracks in the roof to disappear through the larger openings where they could be found.

The kettle boiled and hissed, bringing her attention back to the instant ramen cups that served as their dinner. Madara, not wishing to draw attention to their travels, insisted they eat light and from their packs instead of hunting or fishing for their food that evening. With a steady hand Sakura poured the boiling water over their cup of noodles, handing one to Madara before taking her own between her hands and sitting back against the old stone mortar of the cottage.

“We’re close aren’t we Madara. I can almost feel them if I concentrate enough.” Sakura said between bites of noodles.

“We are, we should have no more than an hour’s walk in the morning, we can take our time breaking camp.” Madara nodded pleased with her sensory abilities. “You’ve been training in sensory, I’m glad.”

Sakura nodded, unsure if she should breach the subject...better to get it over with now, she thought, while we’re out of the village. “Tobirama has been training me to both sense chakra and to suppress my own while out on missions.”

“Ah. I see.” Madara took another bite of his noodles before he could say something that would spoil the pleasant mood they had been sharing all day together.

“You do not need to worry Madara. I made my choice.” She wanted it to be clear, to give him the same confirmation of her feelings that she had needed from him.

“I am not worried, Sakura. The man may admire you, but I know you would never betray me.” Madara said quietly.

Sakura chose her words carefully. She knew Madara well, better than anyone, with the exception of Hashirama perhaps. “I still want to be friends with Tobirama. There is still a lot he can teach me. You said you trusted me. Does your trust extend to my continued friendship with the man?”

Madara snorted through his nose, she wasn’t asking for permission, he knew, she was telling him she planned on remaining friends with the white haired bastard whether he liked it or not...she was however, asking if he would be able to accept that.

“I am a possessive man, Sakura, but you know this.” He paused, wishing to choose his words just as carefully as she had chosen hers. 

“I would not deny you knowledge and there is no doubt the man can assist you in furthering your already exemplary skills, however, if he gives me any reason to doubt his respect for our relationship...I expect your understanding and acknowledgement in my right to defend not only your honor, but mine as well.” Madara looked at her over the rim of his instant noodle cup and smiled a most beguiling and charming smile at her.

“Of course Madara.” Sakura quirked her lips in response to his clear challenge. “I would expect nothing less from you.”

“Hn.” They ate the rest of their meal in silence.

When it was time for them to bed down for the night, Sakura hesitated. They were dating, not betrothed, but to Madara they were courting, not dating. There was no difference to Sakura, but Madara had made his opinion on the matter clear earlier that day. They were courting, to be married.

“I do not expect you to lay with me.” Madara had noticed her nervousness. 

“The nights are still warm, there is no need to share body heat.” He offered, generously giving her a reasonable excuse if she didn’t wish to share his bed. “We aren’t at an Inn, there is no cost to save.” He smirked.

Sakura rolled her eyes. “I will lay my pallet alongside yours, if you have no objection?”

Madara inclined his head, a compromise then. “I do not mind.” He watched her pull her bedding from her storage scroll.

“If you chose to join me in my bed in the night, I wouldn’t mind that either.” He shot the words out of the corner of his mouth smirking when she stuttered.

“Ma Madara.” Sakura laughed and threw a small twig at him, which he caught and threw back at her.

“Yes dear?” He smiled at the flush of her cheeks, a flush that he had caused. She was so beautiful.

“You’re such an ass.” She laughed, as she banked the fire for the night.

Madara didn’t tease her with a response, casting a mild three level genjutsu over their small camp and setting two protection seals over their bedding before laying down beside her on his own pallet. He would wake at the first sign of a chakra signature, there was no need for them to take turns standing guard. Few could break through his genjutsu.

Sakura woke to the sound of what sounded like a dozen or so hounds barking straight from the bowels of hell.

“The Inuzuka scouts have found us.” Madara reached a hand down to help her up from her sleeping pallet. 

“A greeting party, they are waiting outside at a polite distance. Get dressed and meet me outside. I’ve already removed the seals and genjutsu. I had assumed they would wait for us to come to them, I was mistaken.” The corners of Madara’s mouth were tight. He had never liked surprises such as these.

Sakura laughed as she pulled her kunoichi top over her shoulders and tied on her obi and pouches. So, this is why he really brought me, she giggled to herself, they were too laid back for him...and he was annoyed. He would be relying on her to keep the flow of conversation going then she assumed, as she sealed the rest of their things in her storage scroll before stepping out of the decaying cottage to meet the Inuzuka clan.


	22. Chapter 22

The Inuzuka were a friendly lively bunch just as Sakura had predicted they would be. It was two days of sniffing, looking and circling one another in wary politeness, but on the third day the pack as a whole must have decided they like Sakura enough to lower their guard just enough for the pups of the last litter to burst into her and Madara’s quest room and lick them to death.

“I despise dogs.” Madara muttered under his breath as the fifth canine leapt through their bedding and attempted to kiss him on the mouth.

“I love them!” Sakura smothered the puppies with kisses and hugs as she giggled and rolled around the bed with them.

“Aren’t you just the cutest!” Sakura picked up one of the more hyper and cuddly pups of the pack and nuzzled it’s face with her own, planting kisses over its eyes and nose.

“He likes you. I’ve never seen him to take to anyone like he takes to you.” A deep voice boomed across the room, making Sakura grab at the bedding to cover her chest.

She was wearing her ‘pajamas’ of course, but they were considered a bit risque for the times and still annoyed Madara to no end that she would even consider wearing them while out of the village. The unintroduced male didn’t seem to mind though.

“Ack!” Sakura tried to smile a diplomatic smile as the man sauntered into the room, Madara scowled but remained relatively calm.

“I apologize for the intrusion, I only wished to get the pups out of your hair, I had heard that the Lord Uchiha wasn’t quite as fond of them as you are.” The male stuck his hand out to Sakura, a bold move that most males wouldn’t offer a female in these times.

Sakura smiled a genuine smile, flattered that he would give her so much respect before giving her his name and shook his hand with a firm handshake making eye contact, while still holding the squirming pup in her other arm.

“I’m Jinsoku, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I hear you’re a healer huh?” Jinsoku smiled a half grin, half smile that was rather charming in a deceptively disarming way at Sakura as she set the pup down and pulled on her kunoichi clothes.

“Nice to meet you as well Jinsoku, yes I am a healer and a kunoichi.” Sakura smiled at the man in the same relaxed sort of friendly manner. She liked the Inuzuka.

“Great! Well, breakfast is on the table, come and eat. I have some things to show you.” He spoke to both of them, but he looked at Sakura.

Madara raised his eyebrow at the man’s audacity. He had told her he trusted her and he did. He however, did not trust other men, like Tobirama...like this man. Madara sighed. He could have chosen a less desirable woman, but no other woman would do, he would just have to deal with it. 

Madara rubbed his face with his hands after the man had left their room. All the pups had followed the man, save one. Nestled close to Sakura and draped across the back of her neck under her hair...was the spotted black and grey pup that didn’t like anyone...according to the man Jinsoku.

Madara groaned. The pup gave him a considering eye, but relaxed against the back of Sakura’s neck, it’s tongue looling out of it’s mouth tickling Sakura’s chin.

“Don’t get too comfortable pup.” Madara warned the beast who cracked one closed eye as if to say, ‘Oh yeah?’.

Sakura laughed and pet the pup, making him close his eyes in bliss at her touch. Madara couldn’t fault the animal, if he could he would drape himself over her all day as well.

After breakfast, a loud and rowdy breakfast full of talk and laughter, Madara and Sakura followed Jinsoku around the Inuzuka territory as he explained their breeding program for their canine companions, their basic training that they did with the dogs and younger shinobi, and exactly why they needed so much land within Konoha for their clan.

Sakura turned an inquisitive eye to Madara, had he not told them? Madara shook his head. 

“I thought you might wish to tell them, it was after all, you idea my dear.” Madara laid a possessive hand on Sakura’s arm, one that wasn’t overlooked by Jinsoku, who grinned at the silent message and warning.

“Tell us what?” Jinsoku was still smiling as he shot Madara a look that said, ‘You lucky bastard’, and laughed out loud.

“Since the dogs are your fighting companions we are listing them as official members of your clan, allowing us to give you the requested amount of land.” Sakura smiled.

Madara’s lips twitched, maybe the Inuzuka weren’t that bad, he mused as Sakura told him her amendment to the land allotment and her reasoning behind it.

Jinsoku smiled and slapped her heartily on the back, his hand resting against her just a little too long for Madara’s liking, but he let it pass. There were still negotiations to be made, and he had already made his point and staked his claim on Sakura.

“Clever woman, I knew I liked you.” Jinsoku rubbed his chin. “You know, the Inuzuka aren’t like most traditional clans.” Jinsoku shot a glance at Madara.

“Unlike most traditional clans that lock their women up, we Inuzuka push our women to be strong and powerful warriors, like you.” Jinsoku smiled a toothy grin at Sakura who blushed.

“I respect a strong woman. So does this little guy!” He leaned forward and plucked the pup from Sakura’s shoulders who had insisted on staying with her even after breakfast.

“You know.” Jinsoku continued conversationally. “The pups chose their master, it’s clear, this little guy has chosen you Sakura. What do you say, you want him as your partner?”

“Does this mean, you accept Konoha’s terms?” Sakura smirked at the young man who was more than he had originally appeared to be.

“Clever woman. If you ever change your mind and leave this one…” Jinsoku jabbed a thumb toward Madara who glared at the man. “You have a place with me.”

Sakura’s face turned red and she blinked rapidly for a moment before she realized he was joking...or at least, half joking.

“I’ll take the puppy with my most heartfelt thanks!” Sakura held her arms out for the little pup who leapt from Jinsoku’s arms back to her shoulders and settled down again around her neck, weaseling his way under her hair with a happy sigh.

“Then as the clan head of the Inuzuka, I jinsoku accept Konoha’s proposal!” Jinsoku grinned and the Inuzuka around them whooped and slapped one another on the backs.

“You’re the clan head?” Madara bit back his less than diplomatic curse...of course he was.

Jinsoku winked at Sakura who laughed.

Two days later Madara and Sakura walked back through the gates of Konoha with the Inuzuka’s officially signed and sealed acceptance contract and land grant in their hands...with one addition in the form of a furry mass to their party.

“That’s wonderful news!” Hashirama hugged Sakura before she could pull away from him, making the puppy around her neck throw out a warning growl at the boisterous Hokage who merely blinked.

“Is that a ninja hound?” Tobirama appeared in the doorway to the Hokage’s office and glared at the dog around Sakura’s neck.

“Yeah, but I haven’t named him yet. The Inuzuka clan head Jinsoku gave him to me!” Sakura beamed fondly at the pup who grinned back at her, it’s tongue lolling again.

“I see.” Tobirama didn’t know the Inuzuka were in the habit of giving their famed and precious hounds away to...strangers.

“They are assembling now, the main force of the Inuzuka will be arriving within the month but Jinsoku and a few of the Inuzuka elders and his main family will be here within the week to establish their land claim and acquaint themselves with the rest of the village clan heads, including you Hashirama.” Madara looked from Sakura to Hashirama. “We should have a dinner to welcome them, don't you think my dear?”

“Jinsoku would love that!” Sakura smiled at Madara. 

“That’s thoughtful of you Madara.” Sakura touched his arm lightly, like he had in front of Jinsoku. She returned the favor by doing it in front of Tobirama, who was glaring at Madara even more than he usually did.

Madara smiled a very small faint smile, but a smile nonetheless, making Hashirama beam with happiness for his friend. Tobirama’s eyes narrowed to slits.

Madara looked up at Tobirama. ‘I’ve won.’ Madara’s eyes said, as they watched Tobirama.

‘That’s what you think, cursed Uchiha’, Tobirama nearly growled, but it wasn’t Tobirama’s growl that filled the room.

Sakura placed a hand on the pups head and scratched his ears wondering if it was Tobirama’s ill intent toward Madara that the canine was picking up on that put the poor thing on edge, or if it was something else that she couldn’t see.

“What are you going to name him?” Hashirama stuck out a finger and scratched the pup’s chin with a goofy smile on his face. Hashirama loved dogs.

“Takeo.” Sakura tested the name and found it suited the dog.

“Warrior hero? A brave name to be sure.” Madara looked at the dog and the woman. “It suits him. He suits you Sakura.”

Sakura smiled and Takeo wagged his tail, his tongue stretching out to lick Madara’s hand as he pet him gently on the head. Tobirama continued to glare at the dog, his displeasure divided between dog and Uchiha. Inwardly Sakura rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything. Tobirama would either get over it, or he wouldn’t.

A little stab of guilt shot through her though she had kissed him and the next day accepted Madara’s courtship. A conversation was coming, she knew...she owed him that much, as his friend.

“I need to check in at the hospital now that I’m back.” Sakura bowed, unimpaired by the hound across her shoulders.

“Sakura.” Tobirama called out to her before she could leave the office. Madara stiffened but made no move to intervene.

“Have dinner with me tonight, our bet, I owe you.” Tobirama inclined his head stiffly to her, his face forcibly blank, speaking to her and her alone as he ignored the rest of the room.

Sakura glanced at Madara, whose face was also blank. A slight shifting of his eyes told her he understood that there were things that needed to be said between her and the white haired bastard.

“Dinner, okay. Meet me at the hospital then?” She smiled.

“It’s a date then.” Tobirama inclined his head again, a little less ridgid, a small smirk behind his lips as he glared at Madara one last time and disappeared using his formula jutsu.

Madara cast Sakura a glance. She had been surprised at Tobirama’s words.

“Sakura.” Madara began.

“I’ll handle it.” Sakura turned on her heel and left the office quickly. She had too much to do to worry about her dinner with Tobirama right now.

Kiyomi was waiting for her when she got home, cup of tea in hand and clean clothes laid out for her mistress. “Welcome home Sakura Sama, your bath should be ready soon. I just lit the fire to heat it.”

“How did you know I was back?” To Sakura’s knowledge the girl didn’t have any chakra pools and was a civilian.

“Lord Madara sent me a hawk asking me to prepare for your return this morning. He knew you would wish to get to the hospital as soon as you got back.” Kiyomi bowed politely to Sakura who blinked twice.

“I didn’t see him send a hawk.” Sakura smiled at his thoughtfulness. That was twice today, he had shown her his softer side and it wasn’t even noon.

“Lord Madara cares for you a great deal Lady Sakura.” Kiyomi met her eyes briefly, then scurried from the room to let Sakura undress for her bath.

“Oh Sakura Sama!” One of the nurses rushed toward Sakura as she walked through the main doors of her hospital. 

“Thank goodness you’re back! There is a team that just came in, they’ve been poisoned and no one knows of an antidote that will work, two doctors have tried and failed to make an adequate antidote, please Sakura Sama come quick, here is the chart for the team, they all seem to have been poisoned by the same poison.” The nurse pushed Sakura to the next hall, then broke out into a dead run.

For the next five hours Sakura pulled the poison little by little from the three man team using the method that another kunoichi had invented, that hadn’t been born yet. Slowly she pushed clean water into each nin with her chakra and then just as slowly pulled the poison out of the nin, discarding the water and poison alike into a waiting bowl beside the beds.

“What a horrible poison.” Sakura murmured. “It’s not the worst I’ve read about, but still, horrible and cruel.”

The shinobi she was working on screamed in pain and withered in agony beneath her hand. Two doctors and a nurse were holding the bindings that kept him from falling off of the bed or from accidentally striking Sakura while she worked.

“Someone get me my maid, tell her to bring me my black notebook, she knows where it is.” Sakura shouted out as she continued to pull the poison from the last of the three man team. “It has my receipts for the more deadly poisons in it.”

A nurse ran out the door and away to Sakura’s house behind the hospital. Hashirama had been wise to make her home so close.

An hour later, exhausted and worn, Sakura tipped the last vial of the antidote into the last man with a sigh of relief. Her medical team clapped their hands.

“You are truly talented.” A familiar deep voice said with resignation from behind, making Sakura turn to meet the red eyes of Tobirama Senju.

“How long have you been there?” Sakura frowned, she hadn’t felt his presence not even a little bit. It was slightly disturbing to her. She had become a better sensor under his tutelage, but the difference in their skill level was clear.

“Since the first moment you stepped foot in the operating room. I had been informed of the team’s condition and came to see if there was anything I could do for them. I arrived a moment after you, and found that you had the situation under control.” His voice was strained, as though he were holding something back.

Sakura watched him fidget under her heavy gaze and quirked her lips. He had something to say to her…

Takeo growled at the Senju making Sakura startle. She had almost forgotten the dog was there; she had become so used to his weight and presence around her shoulders.

“Your pest doesn’t seem to care for me.” Tobirama observed.

“Maybe because you call him a pest.” Sakura tried to smile. She knew this must be awkward for him. It was awkward for her. He had kissed her but she had kissed him back. She owed him an explanation.

“Dinner?” Sakura wiped the perspiration from her brow with a wet rag one of the nurses had handed to her and tried to smile at her friend.

“That’s why I’m here.” Tobirama’s voice softened just a bit as they walked down the stairs of the hospital together to her house so that she could change.

“I’m sorry Tobi.” Sakura looked down at her feet as they walked to the new sticky bun shop around the corner from the hospital.

“For?” Tobirama asked her. He knew what for…

“Kissing you, then allowing Madara to court me.” She looked at him sideways.

“Hmph.” Tobirama walked beside her in relative silence, then sighed a great sigh, his exhale noisy as it was released through his nose.

“I understand.” He finally said. “You have a history with him.” 

Sakura looked up at the man beside her in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to yell, or to react violently in a fit of passion like Madara had when she had told him she had kissed Tobirama but...she hadn’t expected him to forfeit so easily either. If she were honest...and it made her feel guilty, she was a little disappointed he wasn’t trying to fight for her affections more.

Tobirama looked back at Sakura, matching her green gaze with a red one of his own. He watched the pulse jump and trip in the side of her neck, her breathing had quickened, just for a moment. He resisted the urge to smirk. She was...displeased at his understanding, she still cared for him. He nodded to her, but more to himself. This wasn’t over. He could be patient. He wouldn’t explode like Madara, he would bide his time. She would see eventually, all of the Uchiha were cursed.

“Thank you Tobi.” Sakura said sincerely. He was a good man, Tobirama, everything she had thought he was. It was good to have a friend other than Madara she could trust.

“Shall we?” Tobirama held the banner aside for Sakura to enter the bun stand ahead of him.

“Yeah, I’m starving!” Sakura smiled and walked under Tobirama’s arm, not noticing the way his nose flared as he inhaled her scent. Takeo growled and Tobirama narrowed his eyes at the dog. That mutt had to go.

Madara stood outside in the garden behind his house. Sakura’s garden, as he had renamed it after their first night of courting. With his arm to the sky he waited for his hawk to make her final rotation, his arm solid beneath her weight as she landed on his arm, her talons cutting into the leather scrap he had wound around his forearm for that purpose.

“Tell me.” Madara commanded.

“Your lady is well. The Senju and Sakura are at the bun shop as she said they would be. I will circle back round and keep an eye on her Lord Madara, as you commanded.” The hawk made a leg to Madara and kicked off from his arm to monitor Sakura once more.

He had walked her home after dinner and had left her standing on her porch with a small hug and a kiss to the cheek. Innocent by her standards, intrusive according to the bite on his hand from her pup. Tobirama glared down at his hand. That dog had to go and soon. 

The village was quiet as he walked back to the home he shared with his brother. The night was clear, he could see every star in the sky.

“I knew your hawk was watching Madara, it seems you don’t trust her after all do you?” Tobirama didn’t turn to face the Uchiha, but his steps slowed and he came to a halt just outside of the door to his home.

“It’s you I do not trust, and rightfully so.” Madara ‘s voice was even but deep, a threat hidden in its depths.

“Who will she blame though when I tell her you sent your hawk to spy on her...me? Or you?” Tobirama turned to face Madara.

“She isn’t yours Tobirama, she’s mine.” Madara wouldn’t rise to the younger man’s taunts. He had already won, Sakura was his.

“Is she? I do not believe that the space of time has changed society so greatly that a kiss on the cheek after a shared meal means nothing and yet...she let me touch her.” Tobirama watched the blood flood to Madara’s neck and up his jaw. “It isn’t the first time she’s let me touch her.”

“It is a fact, not a taunt.” Tobirama told Madara crossing his arms over his chest. “She asked me to her bed, I did not persuade her.”

“It has been forgotten Tobirama, it is in the past, like so many other things between us.” Madara turned to leave but the young Senju had more to say.

“Sakura is clever Madara, eventually she will see you for who you truly are...a monster, a heartless and ruthless monster. Your clan is cursed.” Tobirama saw the twitch of the man’s hand and leapt to the roof of his home, the kunai embedded in the front of his door.

“Your hate will be your undoing.” Tobirama’s words followed Madara all the way back to the Uchiha compound.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the end

Two weeks later the Inuzuka clan head Jinsoku arrived with a small group of prominent Inuzuka with him.

“Welcome!” Hashirama shook Jinsoku’s hand at the gate, Tobirama beside him bowing politely. “How was your trip?”

“It is good to be here, a pleasant journey. So good to see you again Sakura!” Jinsoku gripped Sakura’s hand and pulled her into a friendly hug making Hashirama laugh with glee and Tobirama grit his teeth.

Takeo yipped happily at seeing Jinsoku again and licked his hand.

“I see you are bonded with the pup, what did you name the little guy?” Jinsoku pulled the pup from Sakura’s shoulders and scratched his head affectionately.

“I named him Takeo, he will be my partner in both battle and in healing.” Sakura looked at the pup fondly.

“Excellent! I have to admit I’ve never seen a ninkin attach themselves and bond with a stranger like Takeo took to you. It must mean you have a remarkably pure heart.” Jinsoku winked at Sakura, making her blush.

“She does, Sakura Chan is a remarkable woman.” Hashirama clapped a hand on Sakura’s back making her blush even further under the public praise.

“Hashi, please.” Sakura smiled a bit self consciously at the Hokage.

“Aww come on Sakura Chan! You know how vital you are to the village, accept a little compliment now and then hum?” Hashirama smiled at her. 

He had liked her the moment he had met her but he had soon realized there was so much more to Sakura than merely being a skilled kunoichi, a good medic and his best friend’s love interest. She really was a good person and really cared about the people around her. He could see why his brother liked her so much, even if he thought it was a losing battle. Hashirama had seen the way Sakura looked at Madara and the way Madara looked at Sakura when they didn’t think he was looking.

“Madara will join us for dinner later to celebrate your arrival, I apologize he is in a clan meeting at the moment. Allow me to show you to your new compound?” Hashirama waved a hand in the direction of the new Inuzuka compound.

“Thank you Hokage Sama.” Jinsoku took Sakura’s arm and pulled it through his own before she could protest, noting how the Hokage’s brother’s eyes widened just a fraction at the liberty, then narrowed.

Jinsoku laughed out loud, as was his nature. Leaning over he whispered in Sakura’s ear. “I see that I am not the only competition for your hand that Lord Madara needs to watch out for.”

Jinsoku’s breath was warm on her neck and it made her flush, her steps faltered for a moment, Jinsoku lifted her a bit to compensate for her misstep.

Sakura’s eyes widened in surprise, he was sharp.

“Lord Madara has no competition as far as I am concerned Inuzuka San.” Sakura said rather formally, hoping the man would get the hint, not bothering to lower her voice as he had.

Jinsoku laughed, it was a pleasant and masculine sound Sakura would admit, but she much preferred Madara’s reserved chuckle.

Tobirama scowled openly at the Inuzuka clan head, gaining censored looks from the Inuzuka elders.

“Lord Jinsoku, perhaps it would be best if…” The elder was cut off by the younger man.

“Sakura knows I tease.” Jinsoku waved the elder away.

“...and yet you address her so informally.” The elder muttered under his breath.

Jinsoku stopped abruptly making Sakura grip his arm tight so she didn’t stumble.

“Hold your tongue, or I will cut it out.” Jinsoku’s eyes flashed dangerously, revealing the beast hidden within.

“My apologies Lord Jinsoku. I meant no disrespect.” The elder bowed low, his ears pink with embarrassment.

Jinsoku nodded, dismissing the elder to turn his attention back to Sakura. “So, after we see the new compound the Lord First has generously set aside for us, I would like a tour of this hospital of yours that I have heard so much about.” Jinsoku squeezed Sakura’s arm where it was linked with his.

“Of course Jinsoku San.” Sakura smiled diplomatically.

“Jinsoku, please, let’s skip those dreary formalities, we’re friends are we not?” Jinsoku tapped Takeo on the nose and smiled at Sakura.

Sakura couldn’t help but smile, he was such a pleasant contrast between the brooding Senju beside her and her ever reserved Madara. “:We are.” She conceded.

“Here we are.” Hashirama extended his arm and encompassed the Inuzuka clan compound with one wide sweeping motion. “We will leave the building to your clan of course so that you can set it up to your liking. Let me know if you need any help with my wood style.” Hashirama beamed at the Inuzuka clan head. “Welcome to Konoha!”

“Thank you Hokage Sama, this looks wonderful. Is that a river I see? Perfect!” Jinsoku turned to his elders and two of the younger Inuzuka he had brought with him and handed them a scroll. 

“Start mapping out our compound according to the blueprints.” He instructed.

“If you have no objections Hokage Sama, I would like a tour of the hospital now.” Jinsoku patted Sakura’s hand fondly.

“If Sakura Chan has no objections?” Hashirama cast Sakura a speculative look. 

The way the Inuzuka clan head was touching Sakura Chan was making Hashirama a bit nervous. He could feel his brother’s agitation and wondered how Sakura and Madara’s trip to the Inuzuka had really gone. Clearly they had left some things out in their mission report.

“Of course Jinsoku, follow me.” Sakura jerked her arm out of the Inuzuka clan heads grasp and started running toward the hospital.

“Minx.” Jinsoku growled then laughed out loud. He loved a good chase, and a beautiful female who was as fast as Sakura seemed to be, would be well worth his efforts.

“Uh.” Hashirama knit his fingers together in front of his chest, unsure how to, or what to say to his brother, whose impeccable chakra control...had just slipped.

A nervous cough sounded behind them making them turn sharply to the red faced Inuzuka elders.

“Please, forgive Jinsoku Sama. He means no disrespect. We know, as well as he does, that the Lady Sakura is being courted by Lord Uchiha. It is innocent, we assure you.” The three elders bowed respectfully to the Hokage and his brother.

“Innocent?” Tobirama said harshly. “The man could barely keep his hands off of her. Sakura was being polite, but I doubt Madara will be as polite, nor will I, if this continues.”

“We will speak to him.” The elders bowed again before turning back to the blueprints their clan head had given them.

Tobirama looked at his brother who shrugged. “Let Madara handle it.”

Tobirama frowned. If Madara didn’t, he would.

As expected, after the Inuzuka had joined the ranks of the Konoha shinobi, the Aburame joined as well. Hashirama couldn’t be more pleased as he stood in his tower looking out across the village, the village he and Madara had made from the hopes and dreams they had when they were children. Children forced to fight for their father’s and their father’s before them...in their bloody, pointless war.

Madara stepped through the doors to the Hokage’s office and up beside his friend. “It’s a dream come true.” He said quietly as they looked out over their village together.

“It really is.” Hashirama’s voice choked suddenly with emotion.

“You’re not going to cry are you? If you are, I’m leaving.” Madara rolled his eyes, a little smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“Shut up Madara.” Hashirama struck out at his friend who blocked the jesting blow with ease.

“You’re a grown man for kami’s sake, I would have thought by now you would have stemmed your pathetic need to cry over every little thing. God of shinobi indeed.” Madara poke his friend in the forehead.

“I see your emotional compass and empathy is still just as prickly as your hair. Did Sakura even consider that your children will inherit your porcupine tresses?” Hashirama laughed at his own joke...that’s how he knew it was funny…

“I’m going to end our courtship.” Madara turned to face his friend, his face serious. “I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

A stack of papers dropped to the ground behind them, both Hashirama and Madara jumping away from one another by reflex only to find nothing there. Papers littered the floor, the door to Hashirama’s office ajar and hanging from the hinges.

Madara cast his friend a knowing look. ‘It’s your job’, his eyes said.

“I know. I’ll talk to him.” Hashirama grimaced. He wasn’t looking forward to this.

Tobirama flew through the village, over the walls releasing then resealing the protection seals he had placed over the village, into the forest stopping only when he had reached the waterfalls at the start of the Naka River, deep within the surrounding forests of Konoha.

“Water style, water dragon jutsu…” Tobirama made the hand signs in a blur and called forth a great gush of water in the form of a formidable water breathing dragon and sent it crashing through the uninhabited trees of the forest on the other side of the river.

“I don’t care.” He muttered to himself. 

“It doesn’t matter” he frowned.

“Just friends.” He bit out forcefully.

“Tobirama.” Hashirama used his brother's full name to get his attention.

“I already knew you were there. I’d like to be alone.” Tobirama sat down on a rock by the base of the waterfall and ignored his brother.

“They love each other Tobi.” Hashirama said gently.

“Madara loves her, but I am not fully convinced that Sakura loves him as much as he thinks she does.” Tobirama ground out between his teeth.

Hashirama sighed. His brother was usually so composed, so strict and disciplined...to see him like this was...concerning.

“Sakura might tell him no.” Tobirama said into his arm as he ducked his head.

“She might.” Hashirama admitted it, but he doubted it.

“Tobi, do you really love her or is this just about...beating Madara?” Hashirama regretted his words immediately. “I’m sorry Tobi. I only meant…”

Tobirama had cast his brother a hurt look before schooling his face into a blank stare.

“I don’t know if what I feel for her is love, Hashirama, but I know I feel..something for her and I don’t want her to get hurt. You know how I feel about the Uchiha. Madara seems like he had changed but...for how long...I have a seal. I’ve been working on that will...I could use it to see if he has really changed.” Tobirama looked up at his brother.

“Tobi.” Hashirama’s voice cracked with warning. 

“Whatever you have planned, don’t. Madara has proven he has changed. You’ve never been the kind of man to act out of desperation, without reasoning. I trust you Tobi, do not do something you will regret.” Hashirama left his brother to cool his mind in the woods. 

His thoughts were troubled. For a moment, he thought he had seen...something dark move in the back of his brother’s eyes, something that reminded him of...their father, of Butsuma Senju, a cold and ruthless man...more ruthless than even Madara had been.

Tobirama moved from his rock at the base of the river to the cliffs above. Bending over he let his fingers move with the current, then held them still as the water moved around them. ‘An immovable object’, he thought as he watched his hands and his fingers dip deeper into the water.

Kicking the water up with a sudden burst of his chakra, ‘Meet brute force’, he told himself…

Which one was he. Immovable object. “I will not allow this.” He told the wind, his voice lost to the air as his body flickered and disappeared.

Tobirama pulled a box the scrolls from under his bed and released the seal with a small drop of blood. His fingers flickered nervously over the case as he contemplated the extent of what he was about to do. Sakura would never forgive him but...it was worth the price of her friendship to keep her safe.

“For the greater good.” He murmured to himself as he unfurled the first scroll, then the second laying them over one another and infusing them with chakra. A small white square popped into existence before Tobirama. He caught it between two fingers and flipped it over studying then re assessing the seal with his eyes and his chakra.

“It’s time.” He just needed one more thing, to ensure it worked, to make sure it sent Madara back and only Madara.

Sakura was in her new office, exactly where Tobirama had expected her to be. She smiled at him as he entered and sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. Takeo began a low ominous growl that vibrated behind her neck, making the hairs on her arms stand on end.

“Hey Tobi, did you want to have lunch together or did you need my medical attention.” She smiled at her friend.

“Actually I came to ask for a bit of your chakra.” Tobirama reached into his pouch where his seal binding seal was and handed it to her.

“You want me to infuse my chakra into this seal?” Sakura turned the blank paper over in her hand looking at it curiously. “There’s nothing on it Tobi.”

“There is, it’s a new seal, but it won’t react to my chakra, because I am the caster.” He told her, his breath even, tone light.

Sakura looked at her friend, something was...off. It had been rather tense between them since the Inuzuka had joined the village. Jinsoku didn’t know the meaning of ‘personal space’, when it came to Sakura and Madara had to talk to the man on several occasions. True to his word though, Madara had kept his poise and there had only been, ‘Talk’. No bloodshed.

It had been sometime since Tobi had come to her with a seal, a long time since they had played their little game. Sakura gave Tobi one last look but found nothing amiss. She trusted him didn’t she? ...so she infused her chakra into the paper and handed it back to him with a smile. He was her friend...it would end well, she was sure of it.

“There ya go Tobi, let me know how it goes won’t you?” Sakura saw a faint gleam in the man’s eye and hesitated, the smile forgotten on her lips.

Madara had always taught her to think ten steps ahead...was she doing the right thing...she didn’t know but it wouldn’t matter...if Tobirama was indeed the man she thought he was...it would all end well, she kept telling herself.

Tobirama nodded and left her office before she could question what his look had meant. Sakura shrugged...she must have imagined it. Tobirama wasn’t a bad man, only short sighted at times.

With his heart pounding in his chest Tobirama flickered through the forest to the rock beside the waterfall and pressed the seal to the hardened smooth surface, made the hand signs and pricked his thumb. This time, he would make sure Madara never returned, this time he would bind him to the future for eternity.

Smearing his blood across the seal, Tobirama infused his chakra into the seal. There was a burst of light, then everything went black. He felt like he was falling. Pain radiated throughout his body. As suddenly as it had come, it was gone.

Tobirama sat up and looked around. He was in the forest, by the river...hadn’t he been on the rock? Tobirama looked out over the river, his eyes following the river to the base of the falls where the rock should have been. There wasn’t a rock there, his seal was gone, nowhere to be found. Had it worked? What had gone wrong? He rose to his feet and turned full circle. Something was off...this didn’t...feel like home.

Madara knocked on Sakura’s office door, his hand behind his back, a soft smile on his lips. “Almost done for the day? I thought we could have dinner together.”

“Yes, just let me…” Sakura signed her name to the last three forms on her desk and sighed, flashing Madara a winning smile of completion.” Done.”

She rose from her chair and kissed him on the nose. Madara smiled and pulled her into a one armed hug, whipping the flowers out from behind his back to find her eyes wide with surprise.

“Thank you Madara.” She buried her nose in the flowers while Takeo sneezed.

“Come I have something I want to ask you.” Madara lifted her up in his arms, careful to allow Takeo enough time to climb from her shoulders to her lap, and jumped out her office window.

“Why are we here?” Sakura asked, looking down over the cliffs that surrounded Konoha’s backside, Hashirama’s face to their right.

“Hashirama is going to be married soon. Mito Uzumaki has accepted his courtship. He has named me the Second Hokage. He will retire after their first born.” Madara couldn’t hold back his smile as he saw Sakura’s eyes grow wide with love and congratulations.

“However.” His voice grew more serious. “I can’t have him marrying before me, I’ll never hear the end of it.” He laughed at her drop jaw expression.

“Is that...are you…” Sakura stammered, her hands on her hips. “Is that any way to ask me to marry you, you, you ass!”

Sakura raised her hand to push him away but Madara caught it between his own hands and pulled her forward, Takeo and all.

“I love you. I want you to marry me.” He brought his mouth down over hers as Takeo covered his eyes with his paws, tail wagging through Sakura’s hair.

“Yes.” Sakura giggled in between kisses. “I’ll marry you Madara.”

Tobirama felt him before he saw him, moving slowly but steadily through the woods toward him. Red sharingan eyes flashed through the trees as the black spiky haired man dropped down before him.

“She said you’d be here.” The men surveyed one another.

“Oh? Who is that?” Tobirama crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the Uchiha.

“Sakura of course.” The Uchiha paused, looking the man over. “She told me not to kill you. That this would be your...own personal purgatory.” Sasuke tapped the note Sakura had left him, 400 years in the past, in the locked Uchiha compound Naka Shine, under the 7th tatami mat, behind the stone tablet of his clan.

“What?” Tobirama’s greatest fear swept through him like a knife. Part of him must have already realized, he wasn’t nearly as surprised as he thought he should be.

“She knew. Sakura was always the clever one. She knew what the seal was Tobirama. She was the one to break it, after all.” Sasuke threw the Senju, an old slightly crumpled letter encased in something smooth and shiny, to preserve it. “For you.”

Sasuke pushed off the ground with chakra infused feet and was gone before Tobirama had read the first column.

Tobi,

I forgive you. I won’t even pretend to understand what made you do what you did but I forgive you. Part of me is angry still, but mostly...I’m just sad. I lost you today, on the day that is supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life. Madara and I are getting married. I said yes. We are friends, or at least I thought I was your friend. Friends do not do what you did Tobi. I was not as cruel as you were to Madara. I changed your seal. You still have your chakra, you still have a physical body, but I could not undue your time binding formula. You will remain in the future forever, alone. I loved you Tobi. Maybe not the way you wished me too, but I did love you, so did your brother, whom you also left behind.

I forgive you. Learn, be happy, love again, if you can. Goodbye Tobi.

Sakura

“I am such a fool.” Tobirama clutched the letter to his heart.


End file.
